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DDB - It's for Me!
One of the easiest ways for me to remember anything is to create an acronym. When I was in grade school, and the nuns were testing my ability to retain information, I found out that creating acronyms helped me develop the right answer and make them happy (and keep me from staying after school). Sister Mary was a tough teacher, and she packed a wallop in that tiny frame.
The same method has carried over to my business life. In this example, DDB is an acronym for Define, Design and Build. Here are some key points to remember:
1. Focus on speed and simplicity - this isn't a 6 month project!
2. DDB is a tool that is used for something that hasn't been done before.
3. Best time to use it - introducing value adding new products or new processes.
In the Define stage (and I hesitate to use stage, as you want to be fast) your focus is on people, clear business goals and identifying the issue or opportunity. You will do a rough yet realistic forecast of the effort, investment and potential return. Look to the people in your organization who come from a different place to help you understand this new kind of data that's coming from the opportunity or threat. They will use their overall knowledge to quickly diagnose and state the problem or opportunity. Their strengths include innovation and flexibility. Have you ever met someone who can make calculus or pivot tables sound easy? That's the kind of person you want working on the define stage.
During Design, we want something that we can take out of the box, plug in, and feel confident that it's going to deliver value added results. Simplicity of implementation and ease of execution are the keys. To take advantage of the opportunity or avoid the threat, you want a response that is easily repeatable, direct and places the decision making at the lowest level. Fine tune your numbers a little more to capture a better dose of reality of where you are headed. If you are doing things right so far, your investment in the project or process is still minimal.
Next comes Build. The outcome of this stage is something that is a new process, product or service that provides the solution to the opportunity or threat identified in the "Define" stage. Your "design" output is easily transformed during this stage. The "what-if" analysis has already been completed. Since you've focused on people and execution, you will achieve the right level of speed to get the Build done quickly. Remember, you aren't taking 6 months to build something. This might make some people cringe, but you want to build something that is going to address 80% of the change that's in front of you. The agility in your people is going to allow you to meet the 20% fallout. Since your people are adaptive enough to make the right call, you take advantage of the opportunity before the window closes, and you are still protected on the back end.
DDB is achievable. Set the right time frame for getting things done, keep the investment low up front, and focus on the people. You aren't going after perfection. You are keeping your team in the game, and you become the provider or seller of choice. Sister Mary will give you an "A" for agility. |
