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Slow-boring-clear-fast: A simple decision-making technique

Introduction

Slow-boring-clear-fast is a simple decision-making technique.

Slow: If you think and talk slow, then the stress level lowers.

Boring: Slow input gives most people the feeling of boredom.

Clear: Boredom brings clearness.

Fast: If you are clear, then your mind is open and you have energy to focus. Then you are able to make appropriate decisions.

Context

This simple decision-making technique can be used alone and in groups. It can get used for personal decisions and decisions in a business environment.

How to slow down?

Take a piece of paper and a pencil, or a digital equivalent. And create simple lists.

List type 1: Options.

List all available options like this:

V stands for "Solution Variant" and it looks like the symbol for Logical disjunction (OR). Each item is one of several possibilities to achieve a goal

Don't forget to add the option "We do nothing today. We postpone the decision and think about this again N days later".

The slow-boring-clear-fast method tries to be very pragmatic. There are academic dicision making techniques which are much more formal. See Decision-matrix method. But these methods are mostly too slow to actually create such a matrix ad-hoc during a meeting.

Nevertheless creating a "matrix" makes sense. But filling a spreadsheet is too cumbersome. If needed, you can add criteria/aspects to each option. You can use SWOT for every option (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats)

List type 2: Steps

Usually the decision you are thinking about results in some action. Usually this action is not one single step, but several steps.

Slow down, and write down these steps, even if you think it is childish since all people which are present in this current moment know these steps.

It is like a Sequence Diagramm. But keep it simple: Use plain text. Don't use fancy UML GUI tools or Visio.

List type 3: Homework

Who is doing what until when?

Optional:

Example:

Peter will do x until y. Bob will support him. Peter will report to z if he is done.

Synonym: action items

Create the list live

You can use this method twice: During preparation (on your own), during a meeting (like Minutes of Meeting)

Tomorrow you will decide an important topic in your team? You feel responsible and you want to prepare yourself. Create these lists and take them with you. Keep your prepared lists in your pocket.

What kind of meeting will it be?

V1: Open discussion

Now the the important meeting starts and you are nervous. Relax. Let the Swarm intelligence flow. Don't present your prepared list like wannabe superhero. I am sure that all important points will be mentioned by someone. And it is likely that a feasible decision gets found soon.

It was wise to prepare yourself, even if don't needed this technique your meeting.

But sometimes the discussion gets stuck. People talk and talk and no progress is visible.

Then be brave and ask if you are allowed to slow down the discussion to make it more boring.

This will surely get you attention, since this was never heard before.

Then ask: Which options do we have? Write down the options with prefixes: "V1: ..., V2: ....".

All present people should be able to see how the options get created one by one.

This slows down the discussion and it is likely that some people think this is wastes time or is childish. Keep on.

All participants have the same focus now. They look at the available options. In most cases this is enough to improve the decision making.

Sometimes it is needed to look at the options in more detail. For every option you can create sub-options or step-lists.

V2: Presentation

You can use it for presentations. But be sure to add some colorful stories. Otherwise your audiance will fall asleep.

I prefer this technique for open disussions.

First options, then steps

Start with the list of options. If you start with the steps, then you could ask: Is there an alternative to going these steps? There is always an alternative to the steps you are currently talking about.

I have seen it several time in information technology related discussion. The experts love details. They get into the details too immediately.

For example: a talented software developer will tell you how to write a script to solve your need. It is unlikely that he gives you the advice to use an existing software-as-a-service solution.

You should always look at the option "we decide nothing today. The "why?" question needs a more reasonable answers.". I have seen discussion wasting hours of several people because management had some fandy idea. But the "why?" question can't be answered. As long as the requirements are not well defined, it is better to do nothing. If the goal is unclear you can't act. Ask for the "why?" and the overall goal first.

Avoid Groupthink

Avoid Groupthink TODO

Keep the big goal in mind

What is your context?

V1: Business

Be true to you and your peers: We are here to make money. If your boss could pay you no money, then you would not invest your spare time to find a solution for this current issue.

How to make monkey? In most cases this works: "Make customers happy, then you earn money"

In other words: the big goal is to have satisfied customers.

It helps to keep this in mind. Otherwise internal (non productive) issues can get too much attention.

V2: Spare time

What is the big goal of spare time? For me it is to have fun in some kind of group (family, friends) and learning/discovering new stuff. To care for my two children and for my health.

For me it is important to have time. This means: less work, less money, more value

It's just a tool

Slow-boring-clear-fast is just a tool, not the solution. It can help you and your team, but the technique on its own can't solve anything.

Slow-boring-clear-fast will not stop the Titanic from sinking.

Boring is great

From the book "Site Reliability Engineering" (O'Reilly Media 2016) https://landing.google.com/sre/book/chapters/simplicity.html

Quote:

The Virtue of Boring

Unlike just about everything else in life, "boring" is actually a positive attribute when it comes to software! We don’t want our programs to be spontaneous and interesting; we want them to stick to the script and predictably accomplish their business goals.

In the year 2000 I have used several search engines before: AltaVista, Yahoo, MetaGer, ... Then someone showed me google. This white page, just one simple text input field. I thought to myself the word I am talking about: boring. Then I was amazed: Very valuable results. The best results I have ever seen.

Drawback

This technique is boring and cold. Most people don't like feel comfortable in a boring and cold environment.

I guess the colorful/creative thinking and engagement can decrease if it gets used to often.

And creative thinking is very important today, since all dull tasks get automated sooner or later.

What do you think?

Please tell me: What do you think about this technique? Leave a comment here: issues