For us as IT Business Analysts, understanding and eliminating process waste is critical for operational excellence. Rooted in Lean methodology, the DOWNTIME framework provides a structured approach to identifying inefficiencies that hinder value delivery. 🔍 DOWNTIME Breakdown: 1️⃣ Defects: Errors requiring rework. Think: Bugs in code, flawed requirements, or UAT failures. 2️⃣ Overproduction: Delivering more […]
In an era where organizational success hinges on the seamless integration of long-term vision and day-to-day execution, the Hoshin Kanri Matrix (also known as X Matrix) emerges as a visual tool for strategic management. Originating from Japanese management practices, Hoshin Kanri, or “Policy Deployment,” is a disciplined approach to aligning strategic objectives with actionable initiatives, […]
To us as IT managers running or reviewing projects, prioritizing viable initiatives is critical. Many projects appear promising initially but falter quickly due to predictable flaws. Below are key questions to ask early to separate the wheat from the chaff: First and foremost, projects must align with an organization’s strategic priorities to avoid wasted resources. […]
RICE is a technique to decide which IT initiatives, product features, or tech upgrades deserve your team’s bandwidth. RICE is a quantitative framework to rank projects based on four factors: 1. Reach: How many users/customers will this impact within the timeframe? Example: A new SSO login feature impacts 10,000 monthly active users. 2. Impact: How critical […]
Advertising effectiveness is a measure of how successfully a marketing or advertising campaign achieves its objectives. It evaluates the extent to which a specific advertisement or advertising campaign meets the goals set by the company. These goals can vary from increasing brand awareness, driving sales velocity, boosting customer engagement, or acquiring new customers. The evaluation […]
Earlier the functions of marketing included advertising, selling and distribution but in today’s context, marketing has evolved into a more comprehensive science incorporating interdisciplinary fields such as neuroscience, psychology, and economics. A key challenge lies in measuring the effectiveness of advertisements, as consumers may not consciously understand or accurately report their preferences. For instance, despite […]
In the world of IT project management, accurately measuring progress and performance is crucial for success. Enter Earned Value Management (EVM) is a powerful methodology that integrates cost, schedule, and scope to provide a comprehensive view of project health. EVM is a well recognized project management technique included in the PMBOK up until 7th edition. […]
To tackle complex issues effectively, you want to craft well-defined problem statements. The problem statement is an indispensable tool in project management. It can be a critical element of a project charter when launching a new initiative, a deciding factor in a project’s progress, or the basis for realigning an existing project to meet its […]
Have you ever noticed a team planning extensively, only to deliver much less than expected? Common reasons include: “There were too many supporting tasks,” “Stakeholders added more work,” and of course, “An employee went on vacation” (what a surprise!). Consider this popular analogy: a jar is filled with large rocks, making it seem full. But […]
Project escalation refers to communicating project issues or concerns to higher levels of management or authority within an organization. It serves as a mechanism to address and resolve problems that cannot be effectively handled at lower levels of the company hierarchy. Preparing for potential Events Escalation Event — potential or actual matters that may result […]
Status meetings are how project leaders keep their fingers on the pulse. But too often these meetings get sidetracked. Here’s some time-tested advice to get your status meetings — and projects — beating to a unified purpose. First of all, good call: Helps solve problems faster than in writing. Motivates team members to work on […]
As a Business Analyst, effectively managing conflicting stakeholder interests is crucial for the success of IT projects. Here’s a deeper dive into each strategy: 1. Active Listening: Take time to listen to what each stakeholder has to say. By actively engaging with their concerns and ideas, you can better understand their motivations and the reasons […]
Making decisions can be challenging, but a structured approach can enhance effectiveness and clarity. A couple of years ago I wrote about a simple GROW model for making informed decisions. This approach expands and develops on those ideas: 🔍 Preliminary Analysis: Assess Timeliness of the Decision: Is now the right time? Some decisions need urgency, […]
The Cynefin framework, introduced by Dave Snowden in 2003, is a powerful tool for decision-making and organizational development, especially when navigating complex and nonlinear scenarios. It helps leaders categorize problems into five distinct domains, each requiring a unique approach: ☝️ Simple Here, cause and effect are clear and predictable. Use established best practices and standard […]
Perceptual Mapping is a powerful graphical tool that helps businesses visualize consumer perceptions of products, brands, or services. By plotting these perceptions in a 2D or 3D space, marketers can see how their offerings stack up against competitors and gain valuable insights into customer preferences. 🎯 Purpose of Perceptual Mapping: Understand Market Positioning: Visualize consumer […]
When it comes to managing projects effectively, having the right documentation is crucial. In my opinion the documents that are important on almost any project are: 1. Document Router Create a single point of access for all project artifacts. This could be a Confluence page, shared Folder, a Notion space, or a simple Google Doc. […]
In today’s competitive market, leveraging customer feedback is crucial for both product managers and marketers. This collaborative approach ensures that product features and marketing strategies are aligned with market needs, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and business success. Customer Feedback Definition Customer feedback encompasses the assessments, responses, reactions, and comments that customers provide about their product […]
Fishbone diagrams, also known as Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagrams, are powerful tools used in root-cause analysis to visually decompose problems into their components. This technique helps teams identify, analyze, and represent the underlying causes of a problem, making it easier to find effective solutions. The head of the fish represents the problem being addressed. The […]
Based on the works of Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman & Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Group. Ogilvy Group, headquartered in New York City, is a major player in the global advertising and marketing landscape, operating across 131 offices in 93 countries. TL;DR Preoccupation with Metrics can mislead decision-makers, as seen in the Vietnam War example where focusing […]
Analyzing the internal capability of an organization provides insights into its areas of strength and inherent weaknesses. This understanding is crucial for identifying relevant courses of action and ensuring that any changes made have a good chance of success. Business commentators often recommend ‘sticking to the knitting’ when considering business changes, emphasizing the importance of […]
