I have been simmering for two months on what, I cannot say exactly. It is defining my purpose and my life. How I want to live.
Define. Measure. Analyze. Improve. Control.
Define. What is the problem statement? What are you trying to achieve? It is usually a standard process with clearly defined business rules and service level agreements.
Measure. To measure, you need data points over a period of time.
Analyze. Look at the data, measure how it is performing against the definition of your operating model. There will be gaps. You’ll need to fill in gaps with standard set of assumptions. Thereafter, you’ll see gaps between performance and desired output. This is where you’d need to bring in different tools like Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fish Bone, and understand the detailed process mapping to understand the root cause of the gaps. They are always people, process, data and systems related.
Improve. Figure out what you want to improve and by how much, and by when.
Control. Put in definitions, operating procedures, SLAs and monitors in place to control the process that has been defined, measured, analyzed and improved.
This goes in perpetuity until the six sigma parameters are maintained, if you work for a manufacturing industry. For me, I apply this until I get bored of improving a certain process. Until the noise dies down. So that I can stop doing the same thing over and over again.
This is how I run my work. DMAIC. FMEA. Fish bone. Pre-mortem. System thinking. Desining boxes and lines in my mind. Diagrams criss-crossing in ways that make sense to me.
I would like to apply the same principle to my life, in general.
Definition = Purpose
Measure = How do I measure my purpose? Is it # of dinners hosted and served? Is it # of phone calls per day with those I care about? Is it # of steps I walk a day?
Analyze = How am I doing them? Am I present? Are they sum of outputs and not outcomes?
Improve = Where am I lacking? Plug gaps. Don’t forget to continue doing great work in other areas where I am naturally good at.
Control = Commit to the practice that needs focus.
So that I can move from Step 1 to Step 4, in iteration, until I reach the desired level.
1. Unconscious and Incompetent (Unaware of what I am bad at)
2. Conscious and Incompetenet (Become aware of what I am bad at)
3. Conscious and Competent (Work on being better, and be focused)
4. Unconscious and Competent (Competence builds confidence, and confidence reinforces competence until I am not even aware that I am doing it.)
It’s like a baby who is busy feeding to grow. Until it becomes aware of its body. Conscious of the giants walking around it, moving their arms and legs without effort. The baby can roll. It sits. It starts waddling. Walking. Running.
And so, like a baby who is growing and visibly improving. I too, would like to see the results of my efforts. For me, and no one else. But if I see it, everyone else will feel it.