Do the right things and do them right!

Article#: 00041

Date: 2020-11-26

Author: Radim

You have to do things right, but it won't get you anywhere unless you do the right things.

Don't do things just because you can do them.
There is no point in doing something that nobody wants - even if you can do it quickly and cheaply.

Focus on the areas that really matter.
Define strategy and things that are strategically important.
Focus primarily on functionality.
The customer does not appreciate additional features if he has problems with the basic functionality or poor user interface.

Don't do things that are not needed.
This gives you more time for the important things.
No time invested is too long or too expensive when invested in something that makes strategically sense.

But what is important?
Something different is important for everyone and as a result everything seems to be important.
How do I know there's something unimportant?
Just imagine, if you didn’t do it... Are there any (real) negative consequences?

It's about the priorities and about the right order.
"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." - Stephen Covey

Test whether the result meets the expectations.

© Radim-Automation, 2020–2025. All rights reserved.
Sharing of this article is permitted with proper attribution (link to the original page).

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Comment#: 00001

Date: 2021-01-20

User: Radim

"It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required."
- Winston Churchill

Comment#: 00002

Date: 2022-08-17

User: Radim

Before we start doing anything, we should ask ourselves these questions:

What do we want to achieve?
What are our goals?
Why are we doing this?

The answers will help us not to work on unnecessary things.

Comment#: 00003

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"Why are you doing this? Ever find yourself working on something without knowing exactly why? Someone just told you to do it. It's pretty common, actually. That's why it's important to ask why you're working on ______. What is this for? Who benefits? What's the motivation behind it? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you better understand the work itself."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00004

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"Is this actually useful? Are you making something useful or just making something? It's easy to confuse enthusiasm with usefulness. Sometimes it's fine to play a bit and build something cool. But eventually you've got to stop and ask yourself if it's useful, too. Cool wears off. Useful never does."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00005

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"What's the problem? Are customers confused? Are you confused? Is something not clear enough? Was something not possible before that should be possible now? Sometimes when you ask these questions, you'll find you're solving an imaginary problem. That's when it's time to stop and reevaluate what the hell you're doing."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00006

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"Are you adding value? Adding something is easy; adding value is hard. Is this thing you're working on actually making your product more valuable for customers? Can they get more out of it than they did before? Sometimes things you think are adding value actually subtract from it. Too much ketchup can ruin the fries. Value is about balance."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00007

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"Will this change behavior? Is what you're working on really going to change anything? Don't add something unless it has a real impact on how people use your product."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00008

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"Whenever you're working on something, ask, "Is there an easier way?" You'll often find this easy way is more than good enough for now. Problems are usually pretty simple. We just imagine that they require hard solutions."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00009

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"What can't you do because you're doing this? This is especially important for small teams with constrained resources.
That's when prioritization is even more important. If you work on A, can you still do B and C before April? If not, would you rather have B and C instead of A? If you're stuck on something for a long period of time, that means there are other things you're not getting done."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00010

Date: 2022-10-04

User: Radim

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth."
- Mike Tyson

Comment#: 00011

Date: 2022-12-12

User: Radim

"THEY'RE USING AGILE TO DO THE THE WRONG THINGS FASTER!

Speed is a super power.

An organization’s ability to move fast can be a serious competitive advantage.

But there is a danger.

Sometimes an organizations desire to move fast makes them speed stupid.

They start to over value the output and forgot to notice the outcomes.

Big mistake!

Now they are moving quickly but building the wrong things.

The more effective and speedy your engineering teams are, the more critical it is to have great discovery processes in place.

Speed + validated learning = the true superpower."

- Cameo Doran.
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cameodoran_leanstartups-productmanagement-agilesoftwaredevelopment-activity-7003006507789291520-pIEb?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Comment#: 00012

Date: 2022-12-15

User: Radim

There is a big difference between "done" and "done". The "done" status of a task in Excel or on a to-do list does not always mean that it makes sense, works, is understandable and has been confirmed by a test.

Comment#: 00013

Date: 2022-12-26

User: Radim

"It is important to distinguish between adding resources to a project that is in trouble and simply reacting in a "knee-jerk" fashion by increasing funding. It is true that, conscientiously applied, additional resources in the form of personnel, support, and money can help a project. This is particularly true in situations in which initial funding was too low, throwing the project's completion into question from the beginning. Howerver, before simply reacting in a panic mode to project troubles, the first step is to conduct a realistic analysis of where the project currently is, how it got there, and how additional funding can bring it back on target."
- Jeffrey K. Pinto, Om P. Kharbanda. Business Horizons (1996). How to fail in project management (without really trying) (Page 50).

Comment#: 00014

Date: 2022-12-26

User: Radim

"A logical exercise in which project managers must engage is to continually ask a series of "What if?" questions. This forces the project manager and the team to search out likely problem areas actively rather than wait for trouble to find them.
An important side note: Research has demonstrated that the project managers who spend adequate up-front time developing a series of "What if?" scenarios and their responses to them are more successful than those who operate in a purely reactive manner, waiting until problems occur before weighing their various responses."
- Jeffrey K. Pinto, Om P. Kharbanda. Business Horizons (1996). How to fail in project management (without really trying) (Page 48).

Comment#: 00015

Date: 2023-03-08

User: Radim

Do you know what AI means? Yes, AI means Artificial Intelligence...
And do you know what AE means? Well, AE means Artificial Engagement. You can observe AE in organizations where the shared vision is not clear and where leadership is not concerned with driving the vision into reality. In the organization with AE everyone is somehow busy, but it doesn't help on the way to the realistic goal (to realizing the vision).

Comment#: 00017

Date: 2023-07-14

User: Radim

"A good interface is easy to learn, leads to faster reaction time, safer operations and higher productivity. You deserve a system that is intuitive - one that at a glance you can see what actions need to be taken and is easy to navigate."
- General Electric (2021). Modern HMI/SCADA Guidebook for Efficient Operations.
- https://www.ge.com/digital/lp/modern-hmiscada-guidebook-efficient-operations

Comment#: 00018

Date: 2023-08-11

User: Radim

"How to eliminate fifty percent of your business worries.

Everyone who wishes to present a problem to me must first prepare and submit a memorandum answering these four questions:
1. What is the problem?
2. What is the cause of the problem?
3. What are all the possible solutions of the problem?
4. What solution do you suggest?

My associates rarely come to me now with their problems. Why? Because they've discovered that in order to answer those four questions, they have to get all the facts and think their problems through. And they've done that, they find in three-fourths of the the cases they don't have to consult me at all because the proper solution has popped out like a piece o fbread popping up from an electric toaster. Even in those cases where consultation is snecessary the discussion takes about one-third of the time formely required because it proceeds along an orderly, logical path to a reason conclusion."

- Dale Carnegie. Crescent News (1944). How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzlc_N2yxw (01:07:50 - 01:09:53)

Comment#: 00019

Date: 2023-08-11

User: Radim

"Basic techniques in analysing worry:
Rule 1 - get the fact. Half the worry in the wold is caused by people trying to make decisions before they have sufficient knowledge on which to base a decision.
Rule 2 - after carefully weighing all the facts come to a decision.
Rule 3 - once a decision is carefully reached, act, get busy carrying out your decision and dismiss all enxiety about the outcome.
Rule 4 - when you or any of your associates are tempted to worry about a problem, write out and anser the following questions:
a) What is the problem?
b) What is the cause of the problem?
c) What are all possible solutions?
d) What is the best solution?"

- Dale Carnegie. Crescent News (1944). How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzlc_N2yxw (01:12:50 - 01:13:50)

Comment#: 00021

Date: 2023-08-17

User: Radim

Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over?

"The saying "There's never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over" reflects a common observation about human behavior and project management. It suggests that people often rush through tasks or projects initially, hoping to save time and effort, but end up making mistakes or producing subpar results. As a result, they eventually need to invest more time and resources to fix those mistakes or redo the work properly.

There are several reasons why this phenomenon occurs:

1. Underestimation of Complexity: People might underestimate the complexity or difficulty of a task or project at the outset. This can lead to inadequate planning and allocation of resources, resulting in mistakes or oversights.

2. Pressure to Meet Deadlines: There is often pressure to complete tasks or projects quickly to meet deadlines. This can lead to shortcuts being taken or important steps being skipped in the interest of saving time.

3. Lack of Attention to Detail: When rushing through a task, individuals might not pay enough attention to details, leading to errors that require corrections later.

4. Overconfidence: Sometimes, people might overestimate their abilities or knowledge, leading them to believe they can complete a task quickly without proper preparation or diligence.

5. Incomplete Information: In some cases, tasks or projects might be started without having all the necessary information or requirements. This can lead to incorrect assumptions and decisions.

6. Limited Resources: Constraints on resources such as time, money, or manpower might force people to cut corners initially, with the intention of fixing things later when more resources are available.

7. Learning Curve: Sometimes, tasks involve new skills or technologies that individuals need to learn along the way. Initial attempts might be suboptimal as people are still acquiring the necessary expertise.

The saying serves as a reminder that investing the necessary time and effort upfront to do a task properly can save more time and resources in the long run. Proper planning, attention to detail, and thorough execution can help prevent mistakes and the need for redoing work.

However, it's worth noting that the saying is not universally true. In some cases, rushing through tasks might yield acceptable results, and redoing work might not be necessary. It all depends on the nature of the task, the level of expertise involved, and the specific circumstances."

- https://chat.openai.com (Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over?)

Comment#: 00022

Date: 2023-08-17

User: Radim

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."
- Confucius

Comment#: 00023

Date: 2023-08-18

User: Radim

"Don't dig deep into anything because it costs us money. Just pretend that we are experts and hope that the others gets the chestnuts out of the fire."
- unnamed user (own experiences leading to this ironic statement)

Comment#: 00025

Date: 2023-09-06

User: Radim

What does the customer need?

"Understanding what a customer needs is a fundamental aspect of providing good customer service and delivering products or services that meet their expectations. Customer needs can vary depending on the context, industry, and individual preferences, but they generally fall into several categories:

1. Basic Needs: These are the essential requirements that customers expect to be met. For example, if someone is buying a smartphone, their basic needs might include making calls, sending texts, and accessing the internet.

2. Functional Needs: Functional needs go beyond the basics and encompass the specific features or capabilities that customers are looking for. In the smartphone example, this could include a high-quality camera, long battery life, or a specific operating system.

3. Emotional Needs: Customers often have emotional needs tied to their purchases. They may want to feel a sense of belonging, prestige, or security when buying a product or service. For instance, luxury car buyers may seek a sense of status and prestige.

4. Convenience: Many customers value convenience. This can include factors like ease of purchase, user-friendliness, and accessibility. E-commerce websites, for instance, need to be easy to navigate to meet this need.

5. Price and Value: Customers often want to get good value for their money. They may prioritize finding products or services that offer a balance between quality and affordability.

6. Customer Support: Excellent customer service and support are essential for addressing customer needs. Prompt responses, helpful information, and problem resolution are key components.

7. Customization and Personalization: Some customers value products or services that can be tailored to their specific preferences. This could include personalized recommendations on an e-commerce site or customizable software settings.

8. Quality and Reliability: Many customers prioritize quality and reliability. They want products that work as expected and are built to last, reducing the need for repairs or replacements.

9. Sustainability and Ethics: An increasing number of customers are concerned about the environmental and ethical impact of their purchases. They may seek products or services that align with their values in terms of sustainability and social responsibility.

10. Feedback and Input: Customers also need a way to provide feedback and input, whether it's to express concerns, make suggestions, or report issues. This helps companies improve their offerings.

To understand what a specific customer needs, it's crucial to engage in effective communication, actively listen to their requirements, ask clarifying questions, and gather feedback. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, customer interviews, or simply by interacting with customers in the course of business. Meeting these needs is key to building customer loyalty and growing a successful business."

- https://chat.openai.com (What does the customer need?)

Comment#: 00026

Date: 2023-09-11

User: Radim

Does it make sense to think about digitalization if we don't see any use case?

"If you don't see any practical use case or clear benefit for digitalization in your specific situation, it may not make sense to pursue it blindly. Digitalization should always align with your organization's goals and needs. Here are some considerations:

1. Assess Business Objectives: Start by identifying your organization's objectives and challenges. Digitalization should align with your strategic goals, whether it's improving efficiency, reaching new markets, enhancing customer experiences, or reducing costs.

2. Customer Demands: Consider whether your customers or clients expect or would benefit from digital solutions. If there's no demand for digital services, investing in them may not provide a return on investment.

3. Competitive Landscape: Analyze your competition. If your competitors are effectively utilizing digital technologies to gain a competitive advantage, it might be necessary to explore digitalization to stay relevant.

4. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis to determine if the potential benefits of digitalization outweigh the costs. If the investment doesn't offer a reasonable return, it might not be justified.

5. Resource Availability: Evaluate whether you have the necessary resources, including financial resources, technical expertise, and staff training, to implement and sustain digital solutions effectively.

6. Future Growth: Consider the scalability of your organization. Even if you don't currently see a clear use case for digitalization, it's essential to think about your organization's future growth and whether digital technologies could play a role in that growth.

7. Technology Trends: Stay informed about industry trends and emerging technologies. While there may not be an immediate use case, technological advancements could create new opportunities down the line.

8. Customer Feedback: Engage with your customers or stakeholders to gather feedback on their needs and preferences. They may provide insights that could uncover potential use cases for digitalization.

9. Pilot Projects: Instead of a full-scale digital transformation, consider starting with smaller pilot projects to test the waters and assess the feasibility and impact of digital solutions in a controlled environment.

10. Consult Experts: Seek advice from digital transformation consultants or experts in your industry. They can provide insights into potential use cases and help you determine if digitalization is appropriate for your organization.

In some cases, it may indeed be the case that digitalization doesn't make sense for your organization at a given time. However, it's essential to regularly revisit this assessment as technology and business landscapes evolve. What might not be relevant today could become essential in the future. Ultimately, the decision to pursue digitalization should be guided by a thorough understanding of your organization's unique needs and circumstances."

- https://chat.openai.com (Does it make sense to think about digitalization if we don't see any use case?)

Comment#: 00027

Date: 2023-09-13

User: Radim

Often the person who knows the answer or the right way is closer than you think. All you have to do is ask.

Comment#: 00028

Date: 2023-09-15

User: Radim

Complaints and identified problems are good sources of innovation.

Comment#: 00029

Date: 2023-09-27

User: Radim

"By continuously improving the design of code, we make it easier and easier to work with.
This is in sharp contrast to what typically happens: little refactoring and a great deal of attention paid to expediently add new features.
If you get into the hygienic habit of refactoring continuously, you'll find that it is easier to extend and maintain code."

- Joshua Kerievsky. Addison-Wesley (2004). Refactoring to Patterns.

Comment#: 00030

Date: 2023-10-02

User: Radim

How to get the right intuition?

"Developing and honing your intuition can be a valuable skill, but it's important to remember that intuition is inherently subjective and can't always be "right" in an objective sense. However, you can work on improving the accuracy and reliability of your intuition by following these tips:

1. Increase Your Knowledge and Experience: The more you know about a particular subject or domain, the better your intuition is likely to be within that area. Gain expertise and experience through study, practice, and exposure.

2. Trust Your Gut: Pay attention to your gut feelings or initial impressions. Sometimes, your subconscious mind processes information faster than your conscious mind, leading to intuitive insights. Don't dismiss these feelings outright; give them consideration.

3. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings. This self-awareness can improve your ability to recognize and trust your intuition.

4. Keep a Journal: Maintain a journal where you record your intuitive hunches and the outcomes. Over time, this can help you assess the accuracy of your intuition and learn from your experiences.

5. Seek Feedback: Discuss your intuitive insights with trusted friends, mentors, or colleagues. They can provide valuable perspectives and help you refine your intuition by offering feedback on your decisions.

6. Validate with Data: When possible, seek out data or information that can confirm or refute your intuitive impressions. This can help you develop a more evidence-based form of intuition.

7. Relax and Clear Your Mind: High-stress levels or a cluttered mind can cloud your intuition. Engage in relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to clear your mind and enhance your intuitive abilities.

8. Ask Open-Ended Questions: When facing a problem or decision, ask yourself open-ended questions and let your mind wander. This can stimulate creative and intuitive thinking.

9. Learn from Mistakes: Embrace your intuition's imperfections. When your intuition leads you astray, use those experiences as learning opportunities. Analyze what went wrong and adjust your intuition accordingly.

10. Practice Patience: Sometimes, intuition needs time to develop. Don't rush your decision-making process if you're unsure. Give yourself the space to allow your intuition to emerge.

11. Combine with Analysis: Balance your intuition with analytical thinking. For important decisions, use your intuition as an initial guide but then follow up with critical analysis and data-driven assessment.

12. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence: Understand and manage your emotions effectively. Emotional intelligence can enhance your ability to perceive and interpret your own and others' emotional signals, which can inform your intuition.

Remember that intuition can vary from person to person, and it's not always infallible. It's a skill that you can refine over time, but it's also important to recognize its limitations and use it as a complementary tool alongside rational thinking and evidence-based decision-making when appropriate."

- https://chat.openai.com (How to get the right intuition?)

Comment#: 00031

Date: 2023-10-04

User: Radim

"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow."
- Plato

Comment#: 00033

Date: 2023-11-28

User: Radim

If you choose the path to the left at the crossroads, you will not be able to pick the fruit that grows on the path to the right.
So collect all the requirements and decide which ones you want to choose and which ones you want to eliminate by weighing up the pros and cons.

Comment#: 00034

Date: 2024-01-05

User: Radim

I have found the solution !!!
But unfortunately the problem did not match my solution.
:-)

Comment#: 00035

Date: 2024-03-25

User: Radim

Remove the "ballast" from the program!

Only include things in the program that are really needed. Unnecessary parts of the code in the program become obsolete, untested, raise unnecessary questions and are a source of ambiguity.

Sometimes it is a good idea to try more than one way in practice to find out which way is the best. However, once we have decided on a particular approach, it is important to consolidate our methods and remove the outdated ones. By removing "ballast" from the program, we eliminate potential sources of confusion and improve the overall quality of the code.

Comment#: 00036

Date: 2024-04-10

User: Radim

"Code conventions are important to programmers for a number of reasons:

• 40%–80% of the lifetime cost of a piece of software goes to maintenance.

• Hardly any software is maintained for its whole life by the original author.

• Code conventions improve the readability of the software, allowing engineers to understand new code more quickly and thoroughly.

• If you ship your source code as a product, you need to make sure it is as well packaged and clean as any other product you create."

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coding_conventions

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