Mastering quality outcomes: strategies for success in business and projects

Quality outcomes are the holy grail of success, whether you’re in business or managing a project. In simple terms, they mean getting things done right and keeping everyone happy. But why are they so elusive? I feel lucky to have joined smart/tasking where one of our company values is being Outcome Obsessed, and both I and the business have a wealth of experience to draw on in this area. So, I’ll share my thoughts on how best to achieve quality outcomes below.

In Business: quality outcomes mean making customers happy and getting great results. That’s a no-brainer for business success.

In Projects: for projects, it’s about hitting your goals, staying on time and budget, and keeping everyone on board. Achieving these outcomes is key to project success.

Quality outcomes can easily slip through fingers, and in my experience there are two big reasons for this: misalignment and obscurity.

Misalignment happens when people aren’t on the same page:

• Customers’ needs and what businesses think they need don’t match.
• The big plans don’t line up with what’s actually happening.
• Communication is a mess.

Obscurity is all about not seeing what’s in front of you:

• We’re not sure about the risks and issues.
• Nobody can agree on what a “good” outcome looks like.
• We don’t even know what we’re supposed to do because expectations aren’t clear.

Sadly, these problems are very common. But don’t lose hope! We’ve got some tricks up our sleeves to make things better:

Speak the same language: get everyone on the same page by using a common language. Tools like the Ubiquitous Language Bank can help. Make sure everyone understands what’s going on, from big visions to tiny details – and that everyone has the same intent.

Visualise everything: to clear up obscurity, put everything on display. Use tools like Kanban boards and Gantt charts. When everyone can see what’s happening, problems get solved more quickly.

Now, let’s talk about short-term and long-term solutions:

Short-term fixes are like plasters – they work for now, but they won’t last:

• A common language helps right away.
• Visualisation tools clear things up in the short term.

But for the long-term, you need to make bigger moves:

• Change the culture: get everyone on the same page with the company’s purpose,  goals and values.
• Redefine how you work: revamp how your organisation operates so it lines up with quality outcomes.
• Team consistency: make sure teams are all heading in the same direction.
• Objectives and key results (OKRs): set clear goals and measure them.
• Streamline everything: make your processes smoother and more efficient with clear tools.

These long-term changes aren’t easy, but they pay off and help to create a culture where people work together, know what they’re doing, and keep getting better.

In a nutshell, quality outcomes are imperative for success. But you’ve got to tackle misalignment and obscurity head-on first. Start with common language and visual tricks for quick wins, but don’t forget to invest in the long-term. Changing the culture, redefining how you work, and streamlining processes will take you further. It’s a journey, but it’s worth it! And if you need support with this or other challenges, get in touch at optmise@smarttasking.com