Knowledge Base · Seeing Problems
How do I decide which problem to solve first?
Plot each problem on an Impact vs. Effort matrix: how much difference fixing it would make, against how much effort it would take. Do the high impact, low effort items first, plan the high impact, high effort ones properly, fit small low effort items in when you can, and avoid low impact work that eats resources.
Once a team starts seeing problems honestly, the list grows faster than anyone can work on it. Chapter 3 treats that as a good sign, with one warning: try to fix everything at once and you will end up fixing nothing. Prioritisation is the next step, and the book's tool for it is the Impact vs. Effort Matrix, a simple 2x2 grid.
- High impact, low effort: quick wins. Tackle these immediately to build momentum and show the value of working this way.
- High impact, high effort: major projects. They need significant planning and resources, and they carry the biggest potential return.
- Low impact, low effort: small tweaks. Fit them in when you have time; they still make life a little easier for the team.
- Low impact, high effort: time wasters. Actively avoid these; they consume resources for very little return.
Plotting the list together turns an argument about whose problem shouts loudest into a strategic conversation about where energy belongs. The book contrasts this with the reactive approach it replaces, where the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and calls the matrix a move toward a proactive, data-informed way of choosing.
Related questions
- Just Do It, rapid improvement event, or DMAIC project: how do I choose?
- What is process mapping, and how do I map a process?
- How do I prioritise when everything feels urgent?
Source: Continuous Improvement in the Workplace, Ch. 3 (Learning to See).