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4th and 1 – What would Brady do?

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4th and 1 – Peyton Manning asks Tom Brady how to select the best play, “Do [your coaches] call those plays or [do you decide]?” The winningest player of all time answers “I obviously have the option [to choose]. I believe that if [the defenders are] all inside go outside, if they’re all outside go inside. If they’re all deep throw it short, if they’re all short throw it deep”. 

Well of course. 

But to most, football is overwhelming. It uses strange terminology, dozens of coordinated plays with different player alignments, and countless variable game situations. It takes seven officials to oversee.

Tom Brady doesn’t mention any of that. In a blink he sees it all. He knows where all 11 defenders will be. He instantly recognizes their assignments. He’s a master. 

The best performers rise above the complexity to identify what matters and make the clear choice.

The situations you face are complex. An expert can make them simple.

Value Stream Map Basics

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A Value Stream Map illustrates every element of a process, which makes it the primary process design tool. It’s best used for insight into a current process, and to identify areas for improvement. It works equally well for large scale workflows, and small tasks. Since it’s a visual tool it improves the thoroughness of communication among team members. 

The Value Stream Map is made up of sections, they are: problems and opportunities, communication networks, how work is done, location, team size and throughput, and a timeline. Each section is powerful enough to be a tool by it’s self.   

A Value Steam Map has some limitations to be aware of. The map is a single snapshot of a process, similar to a photograph. Trying to account for different scenarios on one map will make it less actionable. To work around this, a separate map should be made for each product type or scenario. Some products can be grouped on one map if they are similar enough and have the same issues, there is room for discretion. 

Two maps should be made: a current state map and a future state map. One map for where you are, and one for where you hope to be. The areas to improve between the two maps become your projects. 

Each section of the map can inform, or become, a Key Performance Indicator. The most common Key Performance Indicators are quality – represented on the workflow section, time – represented by the timeline, and productivity – represented in the team size and throughput section.   

Our ultimate goal is to increase value and reduce effort and cost. The Value Stream Map illustrates how we create value, which makes it a vital tool.   

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What is Design Thinking? And how you can use it

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Design Thinking is a simple process that is easy to follow.

By knowing the 5 key elements you can improve anything.

They follow an obvious order: understand, generate ideas, test, review results, and adjust. 

So how is each step done in the best way…? 

Understand

To understand is basic and difficult. Prepare yourself – make no assumptions, break the function into pieces, and record all the issues you can come up with, there’s no such thing as too many problems. Our minds are wired to see obstacles, its a super power that goes untapped. By recording all the negatives we can address them with brilliance.