Defining the problem

I've just started reading How to Measure Anything by Douglas Hubbard.

I'm not ready to recommend it yet. I'll let you know.

But here's a little gem that stood out to me:

A problem well stated is a problem half solved.
- Charles Kettering, 1876-1957

Sometimes we get a sense of an opportunity.

Or that something's not quite right and probably should be addressed.

So we know there's a problem. And we'd like it solved.

But what is it exactly that we'd like to solve?

Hubbard’s statement matches my experience. I see it quite a lot with my clients. I even see it going through homework with my kids:

The mere act of thinking the thing through enough to state it clearly can be enough, all by itself, to make the solution obvious.

Here's the thing:

The sense that something needs to be addressed is only the seed of opportunity.

Stating clearly what you'd like to achieve gives you a specific objective on which to focus your efforts.

It tells you what you can measure to determine whether you've succeeded or not.

And often, it will show you exactly what you need to improve.

Once you know that, you can decide much more easily how to do it, how hard that will be, and whether it's worth the effort.

If it's not worth the effort, you can just move on to something else.

But if it is, you can practically put a win in your schedule. How cool is that?

All the best,
A.