Target Condition: Detailed (Part 10)

So as to develop a target condition, we need to define the current state by discovering and analyzing its processes, taking into consideration the vision.

Additionally, the thing that must be emphasized is that the target condition should describe the desired condition, but not how we will get there. Then goes the question, what is included in the Target Condition?

1. Process steps, sequence, and times: Proposed process steps should be visualized or described in a logically adequate form, and the desired time of completion for each of them;
2. Process characteristics: The number of workers, inventory quantity, etc.
3. Process metrics: special metrics that enable us to check the process state even while it is running;
4. Outcome metrics: efficiency level, cost, quality indicators.

But there are situations when we cannot fully analyze the current state, which lowers our chances of creating enough detailed Target Condition. In that case, it is suggested that we need to formulate a rather vague Target Condition with fewer details and then start the process. Then, as we go, we will have a much better understanding of the situation, and there we can continuously flesh the Target Condition out by adding more details to it. So, the initially vague target condition is a challenge, and the fully formulated one is a real Target Condition. The goal is to improve.

How about the time frame?

If we establish a target condition that takes a year or so, that probably means that we took a too challenging target. We should rather break it down into smaller and more manageable parts, to like three months, or in the best case, we need to take a week or a month frame.

The first step

Having defined a Target Condition, the first thing that must be done is to take a step. Just start moving forward according to the Target Condition. Moreover, the first step is not the start of a solution, but it may also be learning the conditions more to find out the next thing to focus on.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”

— Chinese proverb

We have defined the Vision, and now we have a direction. We have defined the Target Condition; now, we can improve by solving problems and overcoming the obstacles. To be continued…