Project Management

Analysis Paralysis

Analysis paralysis
Analysis paralysis is a phrase that describes a situation where the opportunity cost of decision analysis exceeds the benefits that could be gained by enacting some decision or to informal or nondeterministic situations where the sheer quantity of analysis overwhelms the decision making process itself, thus preventing a decision. The phrase applies to any situation where analysis may be applied to help make a decision and may be a dysfunctional element of organizational behavior. This is often phrased as paralysis by analysis, in contrast to extinct by instinct.

Definitions
Analysis paralysis noun (uncountable) The condition of being unable to make a decision due to the availability of too much information which must be processed in order for the decision to be made.

Software development
In software development, analysis paralysis typically manifests itself through exceedingly long phases of project planning, requirements gathering, program design and data modeling, with little or no extra value created by those steps. When extended over too long a timeframe, such processes tend to emphasize the organizational (i.e., bureaucratic) aspect of the software project, while detracting from its functional (value-creating) portion. Analysis paralysis often occurs due to the lack of experience on the part of business systems analysts, project managers or software developers, as well as a rigid and formal organizational culture. Analysis paralysis is an example of an anti-pattern. Agile software development methodologies explicitly seek to prevent analysis paralysis by promoting an iterative work cycle that emphasizes working products over product specifications.

Defeating Procrastination: Analysis Paralysis

Analysis Paralysis is where you cant make any forward progress because you bog yourself down in details, tweaking, brainstorming, research and anything but just getting on with it. Sound familiar? Its something I struggle with. Partly out, of fear of failure, partly because I love the idea-generation phase of projects, mostly because I am an anal geek on occasion. The very worst form of Analysis Paralysis is at the organizational level. If the company you work for spends more than an hour a week in meetings you just might have the organizational version. There is hope though, even for chronic cases. I launched this blog quickly. It took about a day from the decision to launch to having my first RSS subscribers. This was a strange thing for me. I knew if I didnt just get something up I probably would never do it at all.

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Analysis Paralysis

Rather than spend an age tweaking and agonizing I put together what you see as best as I could know that there are some things I can change post launch. Its not actually about setting your sights low, or dropping your personal standards. What you have to do is identify those things you have to get right from the get-go, those items that do need analysis, and what can be fixed later. While it is perfectly natural to want to spend time thinking about a project, especially one with an element of risk, there comes a point where any more thinking is counter-productive and you need to start making some progress. 1. 2. 3. 4. What do you absolutely have to do for the project to be a success? What tasks can absolutely not be put off while later? What are the most painful items to change post launch? What could realistically go wrong?

In the programming world this is about setting your top priorities, the stuff you absolutely must get right and that will be difficult to refractor at a later date. For blogging, and launching a new blog especially, it is about getting the fundamentals right. Hosting. Blog software (I recommend Wordpress). Domain name. Feed URL. Stats. Contact form. Good-enough design. URL structure. Stuff that is, a pain to migrate from down the line. Then just get writing. With procrastination it always comes down to just doing it but discovering the reasons why you arent (other than being a lazy get making excuses!) can be very helpful in getting your sorry behind working. Analysis Paralysis often comes from learned behavior over several years. Either it has proven beneficial, so you do a little more thinking and planning each time, or not enough planning has caused problems so each occasion you get a little more cautious. Planning is good. Failure to plan is planning to fail. But too much can be as crippling as not enough. It never fails to surprise me how different the world seems when my analysis faces reality. We all get some things right while other things seem to come from outer-space and no amount of thinking would have predicted it. Thinking on your feet is often as important as any amount of analysis. Set a deadline and stick to it. Dont be tempted to put it so far in the future we will all be flying around with personal jet packs. Partner with or get the second opinion of someone a little more reckless - my go-to hot-head is Nick. Im starting to think my analysis paralysis has rubbed off on him though, heh. Get used to making decisions, it gets easier with practice. Start with small decisions (caramel macchiato vs. double-shot-latte) and work up to the begins. Do one of the tasks on your list, then another. Easy or hard, doesnt matter. Gain some momentum.

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Analysis Paralysis

Stop Analysis Paralysis

Perhaps one major quality that defines leadership is the ability to get things done. The bottom line of attaining real accomplishment understands that mere activity isn't achievement. Attaining the right results is achievement! Many leaders have the fatal problem of analysis paralysis. It is often demonstrated by constant requests for more statistics, reports, studies, evaluations and meetings. This process is usually accompanied by little real decision-making because more "study or "research always needs to be done! The myth involved with an analysis paralysis mind-set is that mere activity is equated with achievement. It is certainly true that leaders must search for valid information to make sound judgements. It is also true that effective leadership uses various analytical skills to sort facts from assumptions in the decisionmaking process. Yes, wise leaders do establish and monitor valuable processes to analyze important feedback on the results of past decisions and actions. The difference is that analysis paralysis struggles to get beyond proposals, systems, reports and meetings to really accomplish anything substantial. This may be due to many reasons, including the fear of failure among the management team members. Many years ago I worked for a small family-owned business that struggled seriously with this problem. Day after day was filled with meetings, more talk, analysis, surveys, strategy sessions, and finally inaction. One of the family members had a plaque in his office that aptly read, When all is said and done...much more will be said than is ever done! Many consultants look back after the demise of organizations and realize that failure was often accelerated not by the decisions that were made, but by the decisions it failed to make at critical times. Here are some ways to guard against analysis paralysis...

1. Set deadlines on projects and major decisions. Everyone in the organization should understand
that a time limitation exists for the decision-making process of a project. Only during rare situations should the deadline be extended. These situations would include a sudden change in market or competitive environments that may legitimately be cause for reevaluation. If potential decisions are allowed to be openended without an established deadline, odds are that the tough decisions will be avoided! 2. Evaluate the locus of control of your entire management team. You may be in for a shock and it may provide an answer to a large part of the problem of analysis paralysis. Your locus of control is a trait measured by a personality scale orginally developed by Julian Rotter. Most individuals have a tendency to have either a strong internal locus of control orientation or strong external locus of control orientation. Those with a strong internal locus of control believe most events that occur in their lives are determined by their own actions rather than by chance. In contrast, those with a strong external locus of control believe most events occur by chance or circumstance and conclude they have little control over fate, or to change their lives. Those with an internal orientation tend to accept more responsibility for their actions and for organizational performance. Research indicates that those with a strong internal locus of control are also more flexible, innovative, adaptive and take more initiative in solving problems. What is your locus of control orientation? Perhaps a large part of your management team have an external locus of

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Analysis Paralysis

control. Or, perhaps they are simply following your example! You can find out more about this trait measurement at http://www.dushkin.com/connectext/psy/ch11/survey11.mhtml 3. If you believe you have a problem, compensate by getting help. Effective leaders acknowledge they have weaknesses and learn to rely on competent associates or peers who have the strengths they lack. Ask this associate to confidentially come to you and alert you to the tendency of analysis paralysis when it becomes evident to them. Part of the solution to this problem is recognizing the weakness in yourself or your team and taking the necessary steps to modify or change behavior. For we LEAD, this is Greg Thomas reminding you that it was General George C. Marshall who said, Dont fight the problem; decide it.