DMAIC... a tool for controlling "the quick fix" and Murphy's Law.

The following is the original and rewrite can be found by clicking here.

Up front I will say I have had Six Sigma Black Belt training, completed a project and have been in my share of "deep dive and fishbone" meetings, but am not certified... this makes me profoundly obnoxious when it comes to all things functional excellence and know just enough to be dangerous. (in a safe and good intentioned sort of way) 

Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement developed by Motorola and made famous by Jack Welsh, as part of his management strategy at General Electric. As a big fan of creative problem solving and optimizing execution, process improvement offers a vast treasure chest of frameworks and tools; one of my most favorite is the DMAIC project methodology. Define. Measure. Analyze. Improve. Control.*

• Define the system, the voice of the customer, their requirements, and the project goals.
• Measure key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data.
• Analyze the data to investigate and verify cause-and-effect relationships. 
• Improve or optimize the current process based upon data analysis 
• Control the future state process to ensure that any deviations from the target are corrected before they result in defects. 

In the context of Problem Solving, DMIAC can be slightly tweaked with regard to language and become a nice framework for working through problems:

• Define the problem at hand and its impact internally and externally.
• Measure the key aspects of the problem regarding its impact.
• Analyze the problem to determine possible solutions
• Improve the situation with a solution and execution plan.
• Control the solution's future state to ensure the problem doesn't re-occur or create a new problem.

The DMAIC framework comes in handy for problem solving, but it is with the reminder to CONTROL that truly secures its utility in the proverbial toolbox - Control the solution's future state to ensure the problem doesn't re-occur or creates a new problem... or as I like to say, control "the quick fix". And we all know what that looks like; the duct tape used to stop a water leak; the coat hanger to hold up the muffler; the part-time employee responsible for an important strategic initiative... all fine examples of "the quick fix". 

I understand that urgency may require "the quick fix" use of duct tape to prevent your basement from flooding, but in reality it should be a step in the solution, not the solution. And this is why I like DMAIC in my toolbox... it is a reminder to ask the question, "Is the solution to the problem a quick fix or a solution that has controlled the problem for the long term?" 

Why should you care about controlling the quick fix? That's an easy answer, to reduce the impact of Murphy's Law which states, "If anything can go wrong, it will". Murphy's Law, by nature will unravel your quick fix solution at the most inopportune time, more often than not, causing problems much larger than original problem the quick fix tried to address.

Remember that duct tape used to stop the leak and was good enough to do the job? Murphy's Law will guarantee an hour after you have left for a long weekend get-away the tape will peak away from the pipe and when you get home you will be greeted by thousands of dollars in water damage. Fiction maybe, but then again this is the type of story Murphy's Law encourages.

Murphy's Law is a universal constant**, but my experience is remembering DMAIC and avoiding the "quick fix" will reduce the number of times you say to yourself, "What was I thinking!"

gpe 

* DMIAC definitions generously supplied by Wikipedia

** There is no scientific data to suggest Murphy's Law is a universal constant but sometimes it does feel that way. 

A man who carries a cat by the tail...

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here

"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn no other way".

I read this the other day and smiled at the imagery it conjured up, as well as how it re-enforced Mark Twain as a master of the analogy. I will say up front I have not literally carried a cat by the tail, but I would envision something like this... 

A piercing cat cry, followed with screams and hisses of recognition, as the cat finds itself in a very unnatural vertical position facing the ground. Ears folded back and sharp incisors snapping, the cat brings it's claws to bear, violently lunging and contouring its sleek body up to defy gravity. The poor soul, who thought this was a good idea, tries to hold on to the tail, stay balanced and is forever compensating to avoid the angry cat's weaponry. And remember, the cat is being carried, so this is all happening on the move.

Reflecting on this somewhat comical and unsettling image, I can't help but think of it in the context of the challenging situations, problems and opportunities we can be faced with. Mark Twain is good that way, offering a full spectrum analogy.

Sometimes you just shouldn't carry a cat by the tail: I am a big believer of growing, changing and exploring new things, but sometimes it makes sense to leave well enough alone; particularly if you are not prepared for, or don't have a clear picture of what you will get from "carrying the cat"... other than expended energy, acquiring telltale scars, and haunting memories.

Sometimes you just have to carry a cat by the tail: Some say experience is the only real teacher and the only way to truly learn how to "carry a cat by the tail"... is to do it.

• You will learn how not to let go when the going gets difficult (or painful)
• You will learn new skills to deal with new situations. 
• You will learn how to adapt and manage ever changing dynamics.
• There is knowledge and development that only comes with what is inherently difficult.
• With some things, you can only learn from your mistakes.

Sometimes you have to carry a cat by the tail so one day you will be able to carry a "Tiger" by the tail: The premise of carrying a cat by the tail is that it is difficult by nature and by working through this difficulty; lessons, skills and knowledge come your way. With overcoming the challenges of carrying a cat, it prepares you for the time when you may need (or want) to carry a "Tiger" by the tail. And I will suggest they are magnitudes more difficult.

There is something about the image of carrying a cat by the tail that is simply a painful endeavour; something most people would not entertain. On the other hand, those who take on the metaphorical challenge of "carrying a cat by the tail", endure the struggle and the pain, will have learned unique and important skills that will serve them well in the future. So when challenging problems and situations present themselves, grab them and hold on.

Please note, I am not suggesting you literally carry a cat by the tail... it is just cruel, and I would suggest you will lose the battle, with a trip to the doctor in your future.

gpe 

A letter to the CEO has never been easier...

If you send a letter to a CEO, he or she will answer you... a Google search and some simple detective work you can have their email address rather quickly - Letter sent and letter received... it has never been easier. Keep in mind there are some caveats, but that is true with most things.

Why would you send a letter to a CEO? One major reason is they are great problem solvers, or have access to a whole organization of people that are. This can be very effective for solving a problem you're having with an organization, particularly if the CEO is at the helm. Other reasons could be to seek advice from a domain expert, networking or even presenting an idea that you think they may be interested in.

Why would a CEO want to hear from you? As a customer, you are critical to a company's success; they will want to hear what you have to say - If things are going "right" or if they're going "wrong"... and if things are going wrong, they will want to have it fixed to ensure good business governance - Good business governance is definitely high on the list for a CEO. As an employee or customer, they want to hear your thoughts, ideas and concerns as it is all about "engagement", something else high on a CEO's list.

Recently, I sent the following letter to solve a customer service issue I was having with a bank... I have edited it slightly and removed the bank's name as my problem has been solved and I appreciated the solution. I want to illustrate that CEOs get things done, not specifically the issue with the "Bank".

Subject: Why is dealing with your bank always so onerous?

Hello Mr CEO,

I have been an account holder with the "Bank" to one degree or another since I opened my very first account back in the early 70’s. Today’s interaction with the "Bank" continues to re-enforce how difficult it can to work with your organization and why over the years I have moved a majority of my daily banking elsewhere. I currently have a safety deposit box, a component of my daughter’'s trust, and a small line of credit with one of your branches. 

Today'’s issue arose attempting to add my daughter to my safety deposit box so she would have access to important documentation in case of emergency. As part of this process we needed to set up an account for my daughter before she could be given access to my safety deposit box; after all of the identification was shared and validated we were asked for a “bill to prove my daughter’s address”, as her current address is different than mine. We could not move forward until some sort of 3rd party correspondence was submitted. As you can appreciate this information was not readily available at the time, we were told that nothing could proceed due to “policy” and had to come back with the information.

I appreciate that need to validate against fraud and such, but I think there was a complete lack of context on your branch’'s part, and in the end did nothing but inconvenience me.

• As the father, and in fact sponsor of my daughter to get access to my safety deposit box, I do not understand why a "3rd party bill with an address "confirming her driver’'s licence address" is needed.
• I was told that if my daughter’s address had been the same as mine I could vouch for her, but since it is different I could not. I do not understand the logic and why my credibility changes?
• The trust account that is currently with you is in fact my daughter’s, so again I do not understand why such validation is needed.
• At one time my daughter had an account with the branch, but that didn'’t seem to be relevant.
• My daughter already has the second safety deposit box key, so in a practical sense all you are doing is standing in the way of using it. This is particularly inconvenient if an emergency happens in the near future, as there are papers that would need to be accessed. 
•  In the end, the position of your bank was to stand behind a policy that wasn'’t even explained clearly, and put all the burden on us to track down a 3rd party bill for my daughter who is 20 years old, in school, mobile by definition and has not established herself yet with the 3rd party confirmations your “policy” says is needed.

I should make it clear I do not see this as an issue for my daughter but for me - a long time "Bank" account holder who has had mortgages and a sizeable line of credit with you. All I wanted to do was add my daughter to my safety deposit box, but in the end has been a onerous activity, a waste of my time, and re-enforces why my primary banking isn'’t with the "Bank".

As you know, Safety Deposit Boxes are a rare commodity, so I have no intensions with “tub thumping” how I will stop dealing with the "Bank". What I will say though," I have little interest in doing business with you except when absolutely necessary". I hope you can appreciate my perspective and the intentions of this note.

Sincerely,

As a customer, I was pleased with the response and how my problem was dealt with. I hope they appreciated me bringing the situation to their attention, instead of me just quietly disappearing into the night. More importantly, my daughter was pleased with how they responded, and being a Gen Y, she represents the future they need to deal with..

I should point out that there are some caveats that come with writing the CEO and being effective... these come to mind.

• If you are a customer addressing a problem - Constructively and factually outline the situation, your concerns and the impact... there is an aspect of credibility that needs to be established. There is no value with emotional criticism, insults or unrealistic threats. It dilutes what you are trying to say.
• Before you write a CEO, ensure you have taken the time to investigate other avenues of resolution. Most companies have problem resolution mechanisms, but ultimately it is your decision when you escalate.
• Be prepared for a response, and with that, an expectation you want to work to a resolution; a cathartic tirade letter to a CEO is a waste of time, and there is a lack of credibility that falls back on the author.
• If you are an employee writing your CEO (and I encourage it), ensure you are bringing solutions to your discussions, not just problems and observations... they get enough of those from customers.

The letter is by no means dead... just evolving. It's faster, easier to deliver and has an increased chance of creating a dialogue... ideal for problem solving. Ask any CEO.

gpe