Tug of War

~ by Randy Wagner

Which is More Important—Efficiency or Predictability?

It depends. All of us make decisions in our work, regardless of our role in projects or our level in our careers. We endeavor to do the best we can, over-deliver on our promises, and manage our workloads. Some work can be done individually; other work depends on teammates or even other teams. Typically, we need to achieve maximum efficiency. Other times, predictability is more important. This is true not just at an individual level but across teams and projects as well. So how do we balance the two goals of efficiency and predictability to achieve maximum effectiveness?

The Symbiotic Nature of Efficiency and Predictability

Let’s start with the symbiotic nature of these two. Predictability helps us work efficiently and efficient work helps make deliverables predictable. They are two sides of the same coin.

Manufacturing is more efficient when a “just in time” supply chain delivers raw materials at the right point in the process so that less warehouse space and inventory dollars are needed. That requires predictability from both the supplier and the production line to achieve predictable output and genuine efficiency.

The same is true for software implementation projects. For instance, the issuance of forms depends on policy fields and data, but the policy needs the forms to issue the policy. Data and forms are both required on a predictable timeline. Failure to deliver in a predictable way leads to downtime, reworking the timeline and shifting priorities to keep staff working efficiently.

How to Balance the Goals of Efficiency and Predictability

The Agile project methodology is all about this balance. We use the processes and procedures of Agile to achieve the necessary predictability and deliver in an efficient manner. The daily stand up is the merge point between the two. What did we do yesterday, what will we get done for tomorrow, and what roadblocks are in the way?  It is past, present, and future-oriented in a way that highlights planning deviations.

Everyone on the Team Effects the Outcome

Everyone has a hand in this balance. When we estimate points and hours, we define predictability. Individual contributors execute tasks. Burning down hours and closing tasks and stories yields the burn-down graph that illustrates our efficiency. The closer we come to finishing tasks on time, the more efficient the overall team is. The scrum master and product owner work together to structure sprints and product iterations to create predictable deliveries.

Metrics Should Show Results that will Drive Management and then Management will Drive the Metrics

Ultimately, the reporting metrics should show the results and highlight the areas that are coming up short. At the project and steering committee level, predictability allows the grand picture to come together in a coherent manner while efficiency keeps the budget on track. Like predictability and efficiency, metrics drive the management, and management drives the metrics.

Thoughtful Decisions Can Help Make this Ongoing Tug of War Less of a Battle

In the end, the interplay between predictability and efficiency is an ongoing tug of war. Predictability meets deadlines, especially published ones, and efficiency allows us to show our value. The decisions we make every day should be made with this in mind.

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Randy Wagner is Director of Quality Assurance for CastleBay Companies. He has 20 years of consulting experience across private and public sectors, Guidewire InsuranceSuite, InsuranceNow, and Duck Creek, with specializations in quality assurance, project management, configuration management, and automation.