Analysis Paralysis
Hey!
Welcome back to another week of musings.
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Things I discovered in the past week
- The Tacit Knowledge Series I discovered this series around the idea of "tacit knowledge," which is knowledge that cannot be transmitted through words.
- The Man from the Future: The Visionary Life of John von Neumann I came across this book on Instagram, and after reading a bit of The Maniac, I wanted to know more about Von Neumann.
Over the last few weeks, I've compiled a list of areas to invest in for the long term.
While we do this exercise regularly, we've hit a phase where analysis paralysis sets in. One of three things might happen: we don't tackle any of the issues, we try to tackle all of the problems, or the discussion of which to tackle takes so long that something urgent pops up and that takes priority.
These are some of the things that I've been thinking about to solve the issue, which I believe will significantly improve our decision-making process.
Gather Enough Data
One thing that happens is that the compiled list has things that multiple people think are an issue or "feel" are an issue. Some things might be real issues or risks, like running out-of-date software or another crucial piece of infrastructure.
However, with the relevant data, it's easier to prioritize against the other list of problems we come across.
Gather other people's support
Another way to improve your problem's ranking is to involve more people in solving and choosing it.
While gathering the data, it would be good to include a project manager or an analytics person. More people invested help form a well-rounded problem and extend its importance to other parts of the organization.
Understand what's stopping you
While trying to solve a problem, I've encountered issues selling the idea, especially if you're new to the organization.
Some people might have recognized that problem in the past but feel it's not worth fixing or think it's unsolvable. People might drop in orthogonal concerns, make you grow your roadmap, or believe that if they don't support you, you'll eventually get tired and leave that problem alone.
I've only dealt with this by getting support from management or leadership. In other cases, let people know that the problem is worth it and that you won't leave it alone.
Your turn!
How do you go about doing this long-term investment in your system architecture? Or how do you deal with selling an idea nobody wants to do? Let me know by replying to this email!
Happy coding!
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