Why exit criteria are so important.
My prior article discussed an important question, “How will we know if we’ve succeeded?”. In this article we will move on to the next step in clearly defining problems, exit criteria. When working on something it is easy to fall into the trap of analyzing too much or drifting away from your actual problem by exploring solutions that don’t actually solve the problem you set out to. Avoid this by using your problem statement and exit criteria to guide what is and is not relevant.
Exit criteria tell us:
- How close we are to a solution
- When we are done
- A clear starting point for future enhancement
Exit criteria set us up to:
- Move autonomously
- Move quickly
- Pivot with agility
- Feel empowered
- Build accountability
- Deliver measureable value
We’ve all experienced those moments where there seems to be no clear answer. Everyone has an opinion and everyone has a position to support their own view. By having clear exit criteria, the evaluation of potential solutions becomes far less subjective. This often overlooked step makes the problem-solving effort much more precise and manageable. Sometimes this can seem hard to do, a common response is “Well, I don’t know what the solution is yet so how can I know what success looks like?”. The results the solutions achieves are separate from the solution itself (outcome vs output). Ask yourselves “What would be different if we were successful?” as this will usually lead to great, solution independent, thinking and will help you define the true outcomes you are looking to achieve.
Objectives & constraints maximize problem solving and creativity. These look like +10% new client growth or -30% time to launch a new product or within a $30M budget. If you are designing a new product or service you may also have firm criteria around areas of friction you are looking to remove or a value proposition you need to deliver on. Ensure you plan out how you are going to tell if you’ve hit this mark ahead of time and measure it. The best exit criteria are objective and are able to be measured quantitatively.
By having the criteria for success up front, the finish line is clear as you have a clear goal with a pass fail. Personally I find greater than or less than goals that much more useful due to their inherent flexibility. These are especially important when working under multiple objectives and/or constraints.
With exit criteria established the team will have purpose and feel empowered by knowing what they are aiming for and knowing where they can make decisions to allow them to achieve these goals. Along the way, you are able to stay focused as you can park anything that comes up which won’t help you solve you problem. Leaders, it also allows you to delegate much more effectively, empowering your team, increasing accountability and ensuring you deliver tangible results! It will set your whole effort up for much greater precision and success!
The next time you set out to design something, whether it is brand new or changing something that already exists, invest in defining clear exit criteria up front. Establish this habit and you will be amazed with the results. I hope you found this useful and would love to discuss!
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Originally published on Medium here.