Journey in Instruction

What is the best way to avoid analysis paralysis and ensure results are measured? Fail first. Work as fast as you can to fail in a measurable way. The focus initially should be on your ability to measure the failure – all the important aspects of it. With this understanding of what matters and a prototype, you can now begin making incremental improvement and testing it.

This is not meant to conflict with Philip Crosby’s recommendation to get it right the first time. The advice to fail first is meant for one situation and the advice to get it right the first time is meant for a different situation. If you already know what the requirements are (i.e., there is no need for analysis), then follow Crosby’s advice and conform to requirements. However, in many situations, it is not clear what the requirements are and it is in these situations that the fear of analysis paralysis comes about. In such situations, my advice is to focus on failing first.