Better outcomes with different units of measure
How long is a piece of string?
One smart answer would be: Exactly as long as you picture it to be.
My hypothesis is that if you expect the answer to a length question to be measured in millimeters, you would think about a shorter piece of string than if the unit of measure is defined in meters. The unit creates an anchoring effect.
This can be used in a variety of ways when setting expectations and driving behaviors:
- If lead times are measured in days or weeks it can lead to conversations for a faster time to market.
- The same can be said for release frequency – measure in days not months, and the number of releases will increase.
- To get to better, more productive and shorter meetings – make them less than an hour and refer to them in units of minutes.
- Instead of measuring value in money terms or only focus on cost, define features and goals using metrics that focus on user metrics and KPIs. This will encourage a more customer-centric discussion.
Consider
Can you change expectations and behaviors within your own work by setting your goals in smaller or different units?
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