No baseline no start
Have you ever started a project without a clear picture of the current state of things? I have, and the result has been "no bueno."
==> Download flow metrics tracker.
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Pro-tip: if there's no quantitative data to establish a baseline to track improvements over time, use anecdotal data instead.
Real story time
Me: "How long does it take to deliver an initiative?"
Stakeholder 1: "I don't now."
Stakeholder 2: "We don't have data."
Stakeholder 3: "We don't track lead time."
Me: "We don't need an exact number to move forward; how you see things is more important at this point. So, what's your impression?"
Stakeholder 1: "Around a year..."
Stakeholder 2: "Nine to eleven months..."
Stakeholder 3: "At least nine months..."
Me: "Can we agree on at least nine months?"
Stakeholders: "Yes" (in unison)
That agreement allowed us, later on, to show a 44% faster delivery time, from (at least) nine months to a measured four months.
That jump in value, recognized and celebrated by all parties involved, was possible because we challenged the notion that a baseline must be an exact figure or we can't start at all.
==> Download flow metrics tracker.
Alberto
