During a significant wild card event such as the current pandemic, we all have to throw the standard playbook out the window and quickly learn to innovate. With a “nothing to lose” mindset, we go forward as best we can and learn along the way. For many of us, this is an uncomfortable approach to our work, but we can turn it into an advantage. This is the perfect time to try and fail, to just hold our breath and leap, to be scrappy.
Our stakeholders will be tolerant and even supportive of experimentation as long as we are transparent about what we are trying to accomplish and the rationale for our choices. They know that information is changing rapidly so tell them what data you had at the time of a decision and provide updates as new data becomes available.
From the ASAE ForesightWorks Fast Data action brief: An increasingly important form of data analytics is “fast data,” which emphasizes real-time decision-making based on the idea that the greatest value from data comes from immediate application.
I heard someone say on a recent webinar, “Be quick but don’t be in a hurry.” When we have a sound basis for taking an action, we should feel empowered to just try even if we don’t have all the “what ifs” worked out. We can try, fail, learn, and improve. Think of it like the more formal continuous process improvement (CPI) loop but keep it simple and don’t get bogged down in the process. Stay streamlined and nimble. Each time we go through the loop, we gain confidence and become more comfortable with it.
So, let’s seize the moment and move forward by drawing on the best available information, being transparent, and continually updating our decisions as circumstances change.
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