Values: Starts with Why

Today I'd like to share my thought on how to ensure quality and impacts on everything we do, both personally and professionally. For example, how to ensure efforts spent on projects do really bring impact to company you're working on, how to propose projects with strong background, or even how to effectively assess and challenge assigned projects.

First, start with why. Ask yourself, why the project assigned to me is important and urgent? Why the initiative that I'm about to develop is critocal? Asking why would give us understanding of the actual problem or background of the solution that we're about to develop. We first need to ensure we're about solve the right problems before solving it right.

Second, define the whats. What are the project KPIs? It will give you sense of the boundary of the solution you're about to solve. KPI or key performance indicators or key metrics are used to evaluate whether solution being developed solves the why. Without clear KPI, it'll usually render the project aimless and without finish line, bringing no sense of completion to everyone working on the project.

Lastly, design the how. This is where design and execution takes place. There are usually many possible solutions to a problem. So you need to carefully assess each option and pick one that bring out the biggest benefit.

Often time we quickly jump to how. It could drive bias toward certain solution which usually lead to near optimal. So, next time in your assignment, please make time to fully understand why and what before going full-clock on designing the solution.