Dear community, everyone gets stuck at work sometimes. Somehow we can’t move forward. This isn’t bad in principle, because it’s just part of our work. It only gets bad when you’re stuck for a longer period of time.
In such a situation, it is helpful to orient yourself first and then do the next step. There are various approaches to this, but today we will look at a very simple approach. It consists of three terms, which are as follows:
- Information (I)
- Decision (D)
- Action (A)
The terms (abbreviated IDA) represent three typical phases that one goes through during one’s work. Let’s take a closer look at these phases.
Information
This phase refers to the typical work processes relating to information. For example, collecting, evaluating and condensing information. Information comes from a wide variety of sources or activities. For example, conversations, research in books and on the Internet, trying things out, electronic sensors and much more.
Decision
In this phase, a decision is made as to whether or not to do something. Ideally, you have enough information from the previous phase to make a very well-founded decision. This can be comprehensibly justified based on the information available. Otherwise, you either have to gather more information or make a decision despite the lack of information because the situation does not allow you to gather more information.
Action
Based on the decision, an action follows – sometimes not. It depends on the decision.
Surprisingly effective
This very simple model is surprisingly practical because we unconsciously live it countless times every day. All of our senses collect information that is evaluated in different places in our body and that may then trigger something, such as a movement or a feeling.
Application in practice
Anyone who is stuck at work just needs to consciously locate themselves in this unconsciously constantly lived model. In other words, determine which phase you are currently in:
- Do I lack information to make a decision?
- Am I putting off a decision even though it is necessary?
- Or has the decision been made, but the resulting actions have not yet been initiated?
Practical example from consulting
Let’s take the creation of an offer.
First of all, we need enough information. In terms of content, such as what the interested party needs from a technical perspective, but also in terms of organisation, i.e. who will receive the offer and by when.
Then we make the decision as to whether we want to create an offer at all. Ultimately, it could be that we are not technically able to do it or that we do not think the requirement is economically feasible.
Then comes the action: create an offer and send it to the interested party, or do not create an offer.
Have fun trying it out
Michael