We are so far down the road of technology we often forget how expensive, hard and bug-laden custom software projects used to be. We could hire a developer, and without truly being accurate on our requirements, they would code and miss the mark repeatedly. Regardless, their billable time reflected our errors in thinking and clarity.Continue reading “Integrations”
Tag Archives: systems
Clarity Comes from Engagement
Spending time designing a system, message or business requires getting clear about how something should work, flow or connect. I have not found that this can be done in isolation. I need to bounce ideas off of others and work to get insights to integrate into the design. Socially, we understand this. We have friendsContinue reading “Clarity Comes from Engagement”
The Strategy of Going with the Winner
There is an irony about free markets that the collective participates in. On the one hand, we have massive choice in many categories. On the other hand, over time, we have a winner-take-all outcome. Over time, people consolidate and choose the best. We don’t have all these phones. We have iPhones. We have Starbucks, NetflixContinue reading “The Strategy of Going with the Winner”
Eliminate Meaningless Work
We can laugh at the paper shuffling reference as a bygone era, however, you would not be hard-pressed to see manual processes still being run today. Regardless of the efficiencies, cost-savings and better customer experience of digitization, old habits can die hard, especially in businesses. Never mind if your livelihood depends on such inefficiencies. InnovatingContinue reading “Eliminate Meaningless Work”
The Goal of Your System
If you are sitting comfortably, there’s not much incentive to improve your systems. However, disruptors such as technology, competition and atrophy (i.e., Groupon), may force your hand to get your systems more efficient. I’ve been sharing out various books around the area of business growth and efficiency lately. A classic I would recommend if youContinue reading “The Goal of Your System”
Build In the Cost
Part of living in reality is accepting all its shortcomings and inefficiencies. All the inputs you may work hard to put into a system – materials, technology, talent, management, etc. – will not work at maximum efficiency or ever be balanced. When your systems become more complex, there is going to be more leakage andContinue reading “Build In the Cost”
Building the Boring Business
I enjoy drama, action and suspense when I watch a movie to relax and let my mind and emotions wander. However, I don’t find heroics and craziness entertaining or useful in business. In fact, my goal with entrepreneurs and business owners is to build a boring business based on systems, processes and execution that produces consistentContinue reading “Building the Boring Business”
Unburden Yourself
I cannot overstate the value and pleasure of an unburdened life and clear mind. It’s too easy to overcomplicate our lives with so many things that simply do not matter. I have observed the reality that Robert Ringer puts forth about human nature: Human beings, by nature, tend to seek ways to complicate their lives. GivenContinue reading “Unburden Yourself”
Fix The Users Not the Technology
When life was hard and we had to shovel dirt with a stick, welcoming innovation in technology allowed for large jumps in productivity and happiness. Maybe people then were thinking about how to make a better stick and work harder with it. The task at hand was pretty simple – make a hole. We doContinue reading “Fix The Users Not the Technology”
Big is Much Harder Than Small
Just because something is working on a small scale does not mean it will work on a larger scale. You might be able to buy and sell a few computers or hardware but running a division of Hewlett-Packard or Dell is a different game altogether. The amount of resources to manage to get an outputContinue reading “Big is Much Harder Than Small”
