Goal definition

One of the most important thing in process improvement (after the measure) is the goal definition. It corresponds to the Define phase of the Six Sigma DMAIC method.
To define a goal, it is necessary to ask some questions :
1/ What do you want ?

It is obvious that it is the first question to ask, but pay attention to the kind of answer given. This kind of answer is not enough: “I want to improve the way I’am working”. In this sentence you have to get more information on three words, you can achieve it by asking more questions till getting answers expressed with concrete words:
– working: What part of your work are you talking about, writing emails, creating schedules, etc. ?
– way: What do you mean by way ? Is it a self-organization problem, is it a problem related to the tools you use ?
– improve: What is your expectation ? Is the improvement you are talking about measurable ?

The main objective here is to reduce the abstractness of the answer. It is necessary to obtain answers expressed in clear terms understood, by everyone, in the same way. Everyone has the same vision of what is a “hammer” (even if some can imagine a Claw hammer and other a Sledgehammer) but try the same exercise with words like “happiness”, “creativity”, “freedom”, etc. So behind words the meaning is not the same and this is a real risk (The abstractness of answers is discussed in the Neuro-linguistic programming: NLP) .
The same principle must be applied to get precise answers to some additional questions:

2/ How will you know you got it ?
3/ How someone else will know it ?
4/ What will happen then ?
5/ What prevents you from achieving ?
6/ What is you target date to obtain it ?
7/ What could you lose by getting it ?

It is very important to understand precisely the needs, if they are not well understood all your work will be useless and you risk to get one of the 4 “R” in return:
– Remorse
– Recriminations
– Resentment
– Revenge (desire for)