R(A)G - how a “No Amber” approach can drive growth

We have a thing against amber at Digital Glue — the colour, not a person.

Whilst cheerful orange is a great way to convey energy in branding, it has no place in our project tracking and results measurement.

Strong results and growth only come with a clear focus. Two years ago, we removed amber as an option from all our project status tracking. Here’s why and the impact it’s had.

What is RAG status?

A hugely popular project management technique, RAG is an acronym that stands for Red, Amber, Green. To produce a RAG status, a project is broken down into tasks and each task is assigned a colour — red, amber, or green — depending on its progress.

Taking inspiration from traffic lights, the colours give a quick visual indication of which items are going smoothly and which tasks need extra attention. This could be because they’re over budget, having resource issues, or at risk of missing important milestones.

Why do people use RAG?

A tried-and-tested way to instantly show stakeholders what’s on track, many businesses use the system in their day-to-day project planning.

The appeal is its simplicity. For busy Project Managers or business owners spread thinly across many tasks, this visual system gives an instant snapshot of which tasks need their attention.

How different companies use RAG status

As with any technique, companies have taken the RAG status approach and made it their own.

Most make it more complicated. Faced with what we like to call “amber uncertainty”, some organisations try to clarify what amber means by pairing it with numbers or arrows: arrow up — status is improving though not yet green; arrow down — things are going south but no need for an alarmist red just yet.

Others add more colours. Give yourselves a pat on the back with “BRAG” by adding a self-congratulatory blue to show when something has been completed or add purple to the mix just in case of a “show stopping/catastrophic event”.

Suddenly, the simple traffic light system is turning into a secret code. Far from an at-a-glance status report, it morphs into a memory test that only the most dedicated Project Managers can pass.

Why we fell out with Amber

Like our clients, Digital Glue focus on results. We define clear KPIs and track them obsessively, sharing transparent reports with our clients.

Focusing on outcomes allows us to identify what’s working and do more of it and to quickly spot what’s not delivering and rethink.

Giving tasks a RAG status fits well with this approach. But in status meetings we found ourselves drawn to the reds with a well done nod on the greens. Amber always got left behind.

It also meant different things to different people. Some saw amber as “on the brink of bad, needs some attention” whereas others were using the same colour to mean “almost done, but not quite yet”.

For RAG to work well, everyone in the business needs a clear, consistent definition of what each colour means. So, we decided to make our own agile adjustments to RAG.

How we use R(A)G now

One of the key principles of working in an agile way is to keep things simple. Rather than PRAG or BRAG or even RAG, we simplified our status tracking even further: every task is either green or red.

With just two categories to pick from, there’s no amber-guity (sorry, not sorry) as to what each colour means. If things are on track, it’s green. If things are off track in any way, it has to be red.

We set clear KPIs with every client for every project. There’s no “almost” meeting our goals — they’re either achieved or we’re still working on it. There’s no need for amber.

Reducing RAG to just red or green allows us to track progress in the same way we track success for our clients. It keeps us focused on the outcomes and able to quickly address anything that’s stopping us achieving them.

Why RAG without the A is more agile

To achieve meaningful, sustainable growth, businesses have to be disciplined. They have to set clear goals and constantly ask themselves whether what they’re working on matches their strategic focus.

Any ambiguity dilutes focus. Less focus means less efficiency and, ultimately, a longer, slower path to growth.

In the current economic climate, investors and business leaders are less patient. Whether it’s achieving growth targets after a funding round or proving the viability of a new market, businesses need a laser focus on what’s working and what’s not.

Where resources — time and people — are limited, finding everyday efficiencies that promote accountability and focus can make the difference between surviving and thriving.

Be Anti-amber with us

We apply that same anti-amber thinking to each and every brief, developing ROI-focused brand and digital marketing plans that create focus and deliver growth.

From animations for fusion energy companies to digital marketing strategies that boosted sales by 35%, Digital Glue work with businesses around the world to deliver their next breakthrough.

To pick our brains on getting started, growing, or exactly what we have against the colour amber, get in touch with the Digital Glue team.