of Speed and Detail
How to track everything that matters without loosing speed
There is such a thing as too much detail, when it needs to be tracked in systems.
The best example is trying to follow instructions on walking. If you have to do and track every step manually, you know what a disaster it is. If not, try consciously lifting the left foot, then right foot, left foot and so on.
The issue is that the more you run after every little detail, the more you sacrifice speed.
Just imagine your employees needing to track and update every little thing. There are clichéd jokes on how some systems require full-time employees, just to keep them updated.
But many situations, like medical emergencies for e.g., require an attention to detail. If a surgeon as much as forgets to wash hands properly, it could turn out to be a deadly infection to the patient.
So, what’s the alternative?
Let’s start from the walking example. To make that trackable, we simply wear a smartwatch to count the number of steps effortlessly.
In the medical example, for instance, Dr. Atul Gawde has written a wonderful book called the Checklist Manifesto. There, he breaks down how simple checklists have saved countless lives and millions of dollars during his research. It’s a highly recommended and enjoyable read.
Similarly, you need to look for a way that requires the least amount of manual inputs, while saving the most complete and accurate information. Start with something and then keep applying it till it’s too much. Track the fundamentals, not the details unless required.
A valid flip side is for practice & training. Here you need to go slower and more in detail.