The ‘One Page Management System’ (OPMS) It’s the tool par excellence to transform IDEAS to...

The ‘One Page Management System’The ‘One Page Management System’((OPMSOPMS))

It’s the tool par excellence It’s the tool par excellence to transform IDEAS to to transform IDEAS to

effective ACTIONeffective ACTION

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres. 2

The importance of IDEASIDEAS::

• ALL ALL human accomplishment - individual, organisational or societal - is based on IDEASIDEAS

• But ideas can get accomplished only when they are effectively acted upon

• Therefore, we need means to ensure effective action on our available ideas

• The best of ideas would fail if they are not effectivelyeffectively acted on


About IDEASIDEAS::

• Bad Ideas (which should NOTNOT be pursued)• Trivial Ideas• Good, Small Ideas• Good, Big Ideas• Great & Noble Ideas• Ideas that may be impossible to accomplish

“To create educational systems for India that would enable our citizens to accomplish all

they are capable of”


About IDEASIDEAS::• Using conventional means, it is not easy to arrive at a

realistic understanding of the true value or type of an idea

• Great accomplishments cannot come out of trivial ideas - trivial ideas would generally lead only to trivial accomplishments

• Small (but not trivial) ideas - when well handled - may lead to truly worthy accomplishment

• Great ideas may or may not lead to great accomplishment - they most probably would NOT lead to great accomplishment if not effectively handled and acted upon

“Garibi Hatao!”


In any case, we do require practical practical means to

enable effective handling of every worthwhile idea - from

inception to final action on the idea


Ideas may range from ‘apparently Ideas may range from ‘apparently simple’ to ‘apparently very complex’simple’ to ‘apparently very complex’

But the complexity of an idea is actually a function of our perceptions of it!


A couple of important characteristics of ideas:

• An idea may contain any number of An idea may contain any number of other ideasother ideas

• Ideas can be extremely ‘slippery’ if Ideas can be extremely ‘slippery’ if not handled right - they often just not handled right - they often just disappear - or appear to change from disappear - or appear to change from what we wanted to mean!what we wanted to mean!


In general, handling of Ideas for ActionAction is a process involving:

• Idea Generation Generation • Idea OrganisationOrganisation

InteractiveInteractiveManagementManagement

More about Interactive ManagementInteractive Management (IM):

IM is THE seminal development in general system theory, from Professor John N. Warfield. IM enables us to develop - from our own good ideas - effective, actionable pictures of the systems we work within.


Interactive ManagementInteractive Management involves:

• Human ideas and perceptions - linguistics• An integration of human psychology

(behavioral issues) with technological concerns - how technology is used in real life

• ““The resolution to a problem must come The resolution to a problem must come from the people involved in the problem”from the people involved in the problem”

Cybernetics: “The science of communication and control in the animal and the machine”

• A ‘cybernetic’, ‘systems’ view of the world

Demands Democracy in the organisation!


Systems Theory: the transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of

phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal

scale of existence. It investigates both the principles common

to all complex entities, and the (usually mathematical) models which can

be used to describe them


To IInteractive M Management, , OPMS OPMS adds of ‘integration of ideas’::

• Idea Generation• Idea Structuring

Idea Integration

IMIM

OPMSOPMS


Not just Not just ‘idea generation in the abstract ’ ‘idea generation in the abstract ’

But ‘focussed’‘focussed’ Idea GenerationIdea Generation

The underlying idea always being: Enable and Ensure Enable and Ensure effectiveeffective ACTIONACTION!


Focus ‘trigger question’Focus ‘trigger question’::

““What, in your opinion, are the What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO DO THINGS TO DO

to get the right job for your to get the right job for your abilities and interests ?” abilities and interests ?”

“To get the right job for your abilities and interests ?”

MISSION


Some Missions::• ““To get the right job for my interests, abilities”To get the right job for my interests, abilities”• ““To convince you that the OPMS approach offers a To convince you that the OPMS approach offers a

feasible way to go”feasible way to go”• ““To ensure all in the Production Department get To ensure all in the Production Department get

highly motivated to perform to the best of their highly motivated to perform to the best of their abilities”abilities”

• XYZ Ltd - “To reach turnover of Rs 2000 crores, with XYZ Ltd - “To reach turnover of Rs 2000 crores, with PAT of Rs 300 crores, by 2005”PAT of Rs 300 crores, by 2005”

• “To ensure that the bureaucracy becomes truly responsive to the real needs of citizens”

• ““To cleanse the Ganga”To cleanse the Ganga”• ““To ensure 90% literacy in Nation within 10 years”To ensure 90% literacy in Nation within 10 years”

Ambitious Missions areaccomplished by

‘stakeholders’ in Mission

Rajiv Gandhi’s Mission - failed

Another failedRG Mission

“To propagate OPMS in India and worldwide”


Ambitious Missions are highly Ambitious Missions are highly susceptible to failure!!susceptible to failure!! --- The OPMSOPMS

approach can help us successfully accomplish ANY kind of ambitious

Mission, whether individual, organisational, or societal

Please note: Please note: NotNot

“WILLWILL help”!


OPMSOPMS just asks: ““You have a problem You have a problem or Mission at hand? Not quite satisfied or Mission at hand? Not quite satisfied with the existing means of handling it? with the existing means of handling it? Try out theTry out the OPMSOPMS approach - it can approach - it can

help you move several significant help you move several significant steps forward!”steps forward!”


General format of General format of ‘first trigger question’ in ‘first trigger question’ in

OPMS OPMS approachapproach::

““What, in your opinion, are the What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO DO THINGS TO DO

to accomplish ‘Mission’ ?”to accomplish ‘Mission’ ?”


Focussed Trigger Questions on Mission lead to:

Lists of ideas

EffectiveEffective OrganisationOrganisation of Ideasof Ideas

demand

Developments from ‘brainstorming’

Idea Idea ‘structuring’‘structuring’


Conventional management practices do not do too badly in terms of ‘generating ideas’‘generating ideas’ - though the usual methods could bear improvement

But conventional mgmt. But conventional mgmt. theory & practice are theory & practice are BOTH BOTH extremely deficientextremely deficient indeed in indeed in

terms of terms of ‘structuring of ideas’‘structuring of ideas’ - -

the concept barely exists!the concept barely exists!

1st Step:

Generate relevant ideasGenerate relevant ideas(from the people actually involved in the (from the people actually involved in the

Mission)Mission)


MISSION: “To double turnover within 1 year”“To double turnover within 1 year”

““What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO…?”What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO…?”Some ideas generatedSome ideas generated::• Obtain needed finance for basic working capital• Explore new, untried markets• Launch a new product• Appoint a dynamic CEO who knows our

business + the markets• Create more effective dealer network• … (etc, etc)


Okay - Ideas have been generated.

Now, those ideas must Now, those ideas must be effectively be effectively organisedorganised

for actionfor action

“Does, in your opinion,

To obtain needed finance for To obtain needed finance for basic working capital (1)basic working capital (1)

contributecontributeTo explore new, untried markets To explore new, untried markets

(2)(2)

?” (Response “YES”)

“Does, in your opinion,

To explore new, untried markets (2) To explore new, untried markets (2)

contributecontributeTo obtain needed finance for basic To obtain needed finance for basic

working capital (1)working capital (1)?” (Response “NO”)


What we have done is to record the ‘mental model’‘mental model’ of perceived relationships between two elements in a

‘graphical format’:

To explore new, untried markets (2)

To obtain needed finance for basic working capital (1)

CONTRIBUTESCONTRIBUTES


We ask a few more such questions. An important property of the relationship

“contributes to”“contributes to” enables us to create the entire model quite efficiently


should contribute

To monitor rigorously, day by day

Create more effective dealer network

• Launch a new product (A)

• Explore new, untried markets (B)

Obtain needed finance for basic working capital

Appoint Appoint new CEOnew CEO

Create more effective marketing systemCreate more effective marketing system

Model in THINGS TO DO Dimension (read bottom upwards)Model in THINGS TO DO Dimension (read bottom upwards)


The relationship “contributes to”“contributes to” has the following property:

If A B

AND B C

then A MUST C

(where A,B, C stand for various elements and

‘ ’ stands for “contributes to”


Does this seem familiar to you?Does this seem familiar to you?

Right!Right! It’s like ‘PERT/CPM’ - which is predicated on basis of the transitive relationship “precedes”

MSProjectPrimavera


House complete

Roof complet

e

Roof Frame complete

Wall Brickwork complete

External plastering complete

External plastering complete

Door , Window

Framework complete

FoundationComplete

Precedes

So-called Project Planning: Building a House


If ‘A’ precedesprecedes ‘B’Then ‘B’ cannot precedecannot precede ‘A’

(and the reverse question needs no asking)

However, if ‘A’ “contributes to” “contributes to” ‘B’

‘B’ may still contribute to” contribute to” ‘A’

i.e., the relationship is ‘reflexive’‘reflexive’

One difference:


‘‘Precedence’ Precedence’ can help us explore familiar and

well-known systems

But only the concept of ‘contribution’‘contribution’ can enable us to explore and to understand

systems containing sizable sections unknown

But the BIGBIG difference:


Any Mission is automatically accomplished if ALLALL the activities that may “contribute “contribute

to”to” that Mission are done by people involved

In this sense, the relationship contributes tocontributes to is probably THE MOST THE MOST

IMPORTANTIMPORTANT concept in any language! It is

the critical ‘Action Word’‘Action Word’.

Here’s the crux of the matter:


should contribute


To create more effective dealer network

• To launch a new product (A)

• To explore new, untried markets (B)

To obtain needed finance for basic working capital

To appoint To appoint new CEOnew CEO

To create more effective marketing systemTo create more effective marketing system

This is called an INTENT STRUCTUREINTENT STRUCTURETo double turnover within 1 year

‘Intentions’, connected by perceived ‘contribution’ relationships between the

intentions!!


Intent Structures may require modifications from time to time

should contribute








To double turnover within 1 year


When an individual or group starts work on an unknown Mission, it is like someone

stepping into a darkened room - without a flashlight.

As these ‘contribution structures’ are developed, the Mission becomes

continuingly clarified to the people involved in the Mission (just as the dark room

becomes familiar to the explorer through his/her groping around).


THINGS

TO DO

These models can become as large as required to describe the most complex live situation! Over time, as we work on our Missions, our models may come to

comprise hundreds or even thousands of elements!


THINGS

TO DO

It turns out that this process of structuring with “contributes to” enables the users to focus at any time

on just a narrow band of a few ideas!


THINGS

TO DO

In such models, we can easily ‘fill in the gaps’ wherever found, in almost real-time - thus this

process is ideal for creating EFFECTIVE Action PlansEFFECTIVE Action Plans


should contribute








To double turnover within 1 year

Any such model can be translated into Any such model can be translated into ‘standard prose’ very easily indeed! And this ‘standard prose’ very easily indeed! And this

little model would translatelittle model would translateinto nearly a full page of prose. into nearly a full page of prose.

Obviously, it is MUCH easier to read, Obviously, it is MUCH easier to read, understand and remember the model!understand and remember the model!


should contribute








To double turnover within 1 yearA quick translation:

Everything we do requires regular monitoring - such as - Obtain needed finance for basic working capital & to appoint a CEO should should contributecontribute to Create more effective marketing system which in turn should contributeshould contribute to Launch a new product and to explore new, untried markets each of which contribute to each other. each of which contribute to each other. Also, obtaining needed finance for basic working capital & appointing a CEO should contribute to Launch a new product and to explore new, untried markets …… In turn, Launch a new product and to explore new, untried markets should contribute to create a new dealer network. Also...

A model of 40-50 elements, occupying maybe 2-3 pages

might be the equivalent of 30-40 pages of prose!!!

The length of the prose translation expands exponentially as the number of elements

increase!


THINGS

TO DO

Also, the models can be ‘blown up’ as required to Also, the models can be ‘blown up’ as required to the depth and detail as requiredthe depth and detail as required


Also, because of the “contribution” relationship, an ‘Action Planning’ model also shows the WHY? and the HOW? of

each element...THINGS

TO DO

WHY?

HOW?

To…

WHY?

HOW?

Up WHY?

Down HOW?

To match/surpass productivity of Israeli s/w industry by 2003

To ensure high quality of Indian s/w services and products

• To encourage s/w orgs to spend at least 25% of ttl s/w budget for s/w productivity tools

• To allow companies to utilise part of their export earnings for means to meet delivery schedules

To..

should contribute


THINGS

TO DO

WHY?

HOW?

UPUP the model to find out “WHY?”“WHY?”

DOWNDOWN the model to find out “HOW?”“HOW?”

The model shown: ISMISM

IInterpretive SStructural MModel


Warfield’s ISMISM process is a grand generalisation of the well known PERT/CPM tool, used in so-

called “Project Management Software”

PERT/CPM is based on the transitive relationship “precedesprecedes”


… but “precedence” is NEVERNEVER sufficient to describe ALL relevant aspects of a real ‘system’, such as an organisation working to accomplish a

challenging Mission!

Warfield’s ISM enables us to use ANY transitive relationship, choosing exactly the

one that is relevant to the issue under consideration at the specific time!

Transitive Relationships in a system:

“contributes to” – crucial for Action Planning - is just one of

the transitive relationships.There are many others…


Some more examples of transitive relationships:

• “is more important than”• “should have higher priority than” • “aggravates”• “enhances”• “implies”• “leads to”• (strictly) includes• “precedes” (used for PERT Charts – which

provide the basis of most conventional ‘Project Management Software’)

Different transitive relationships are appropriate at different parts of the system, at different times!


The second powerful systems modeling technique

invented by Professor John N. Warfield: Field Representation & Profiling…

…helps us clearly portray thedimensions of a system...


In brief - it is ‘clustering’ with due consideration of relationships in systems:

• First, we try to cleanse our minds of all pre-conceived categories..

• Then, OPMS asks questions like…


Field Representation & Profiling (contd.)

(In the context of the kind of actions needed to overcome the barriers, etc.)

““Is(B) Low productivity of Indian software

industrySIMILAR TO

(A) Our educational systems are highly ineffective

?””


Response “YES” would put element ‘B’ into the same

category as ‘A’ -“NO” would put it into a

different category…

…yielding models like the one illustrated next …


Titles createdafter clustering


Basically, FR FR provides a means of ‘clustering’ the elements into “similarity

classes” or “categories”.A critical component of a Field

Representation is the ‘System Tie-Line’ - which represents anyany or allall of the relationships inherent in the system

under consideration.



The elements are ‘linked’ by appropriate relationships as perceived by the users


The OPMS provides a facility to enable users write down prose translations of such visual linkages

“XYZ” MAY TEND TO INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF “ABC”

XYZ

ABC


It takes a while to develop the skills needed to use the System Tie Line

effectively to link different dimensions and elements together…

It’s well worth our while to work towards developing these skills…


…because Field Representations, over sufficient iterations, can be shown to satisfy

“Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety”


Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety (Simple Simon’s version)…

• “The dimensions of a proposed solution to a problem must match the dimensions of the problem”

• (If too few dimensions, the solution won’t work – if too many, the solution would be too expensive or too complicated!)

Most deficiencies and failures in organisational & societal systems take root from the fact that

the systems in question fail to satisfy Ashby’s Law!Ashby’s Law!


Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety:

A Design Situation embodies a requirement for Requisite Variety in thedesign specifications, as follows –

Every Design Situation S implicitly represents an (initially unknown) integerdimensionality Ks such that if the designer defines an integer Km number of distinctspecifications (whether qualitative or quantitative or a mix of these, then:

i. If Km < Ks, the Target is underspecified and the behavior of the Target is outside thecontrol of the Designer;

ii. If Km > Ks, the Target is overspecified, and the behavior pf the Target cannot becompatible with the designer’s wishes;

iii. If Km = Ks, the design specification exhibits Requisite Variety, provided thedesigner has correctly identified and specified the dimensions; and the behavior ofthe design should be that which the situation can absorb and which the deisgner cancontrol, subject to the requirement that the dimensionality of the Situation is notmodified by the introduction of the target into the Situation. If the dimensionality ischanged thereby, the design process can apply the Law of Requisite Varietyiteratively, taking into account the dynamics of the Situation.


System descriptions and prescriptions developed from

Field Representations enable us to discuss true systems

meaningfully and ‘actionably’!‘actionably’!


Despite its surface simplicity, this simple categorization can be a very powerful

and subtle tool, leading to some comprehensive articulations of the most

‘complex systems’…

- for example, the ‘One Page Management System’ …


To develop an OPMS, we need to ask and To develop an OPMS, we need to ask and respond to six FUNDAMENTAL Questions respond to six FUNDAMENTAL Questions on the following Dimensions:on the following Dimensions:

• THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO• BARRIERS / DIFFICULTIES / THREATSBARRIERS / DIFFICULTIES / THREATS• STRENGTHS (Available / Required)STRENGTHS (Available / Required)• WEAKNESSESWEAKNESSES• OPPORTUNITIES (Available / Preparation OPPORTUNITIES (Available / Preparation

required to utilise)required to utilise)• EVENTS / MILESTONESEVENTS / MILESTONES


So what is thisSo what is thisOne Page Management System? One Page Management System?

What does it look like?What does it look like?


It’s a ‘model of models’, involving:It’s a ‘model of models’, involving:

• Idea Generation• Idea Structuring

Idea Integration

IMIM

OPMSOPMS


The Field Representation shown first was a ‘model of elements’. The OPMS, next slide, is a Field Representation which is actually a

MODELMODEL OFOF MODELS!MODELS!

It consists of all the models constructed during the ‘process’ of accomplishing a Mission, crystallized onto a single pageonto a single page.


Mission: “To recruit and retain talent” Mission

‘Fundamental’ Dimensions of OPMS

System Tie Line

‘System’ Dimensions of OPMS

The System Tie-Line System Tie-Line represents any or allany or all of the relationships

inherent in the system under discussion


Mission: “To recruit and retain talent”

“Contribute to” “Aggravate”

“Enhance” “lead to”

“Aggravate” “Precede”


The OPMSOPMS is a ‘general system ‘general system framework’ framework’ to help us organise

our ideas and activities in pursuit of any well-conceived Mission - with a view to enable and ensure

effective actioneffective action


How is OPMSOPMS different from the conventional

‘Project Management Software?’(e.g. MSProject, Primavera, etc)



Conventional ‘ProjectManagement Software’

“Precede”

Hinder/Prevent Accomplishment

Help Overcome

Help Overcome

Using OPMS, OPMS, people involved can always see the linkages between the various dimensions of the OPMS:OPMS:

A: THINGS TO DO

B: BARRIERS

C: STRENGTHS

HELP ACCOMPLISH

HINDER

HELP OVERCOME

…more linkages…

B: Barriers/Weaknesses

HINDER

Activities

Strengths required

HELP ACCOMPLISH

HELP OVERCOME

Opportunities

HELP AVAIL

Activities


Strengths required

HELP ACCOMPLISH

HINDERHINDER

HELP OVERCOME

Opportunities

HELP AVAIL

MISSIONHELP

ACCOMPLISH

These models can become as detailed These models can become as detailed as required, right down to the level as required, right down to the level

of…of…

WHICH BARRIER hinders WHICH ACTIVITY?

WHICH STRENGTH is required to overcome WHICH BARRIER?

All this and more becomes clear as the OPMS is developed!


Linkages between ‘BARRIERS’ & ‘THINGS TO DO’

The barrier marked in the FR HINDERS / PREVENTS accomplishment of the objective marked in the ISM (and all objectives above it)!

FundamentalDimensions

Activities


Strengths required

HELP ACCOMPLISH

HINDER

HELP OVERCOME

Opportunities

HELP AVAIL

MISSIONHELP

ACCOMPLISH


All needed ‘subsystems’ for the Mission will develop most effectively indeed as

the people involved in the Mission understand clearly how various elements

in the ‘Fundamental Dimensions’‘Fundamental Dimensions’ impact on the THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO to

accomplish the Mission

‘System’ Dimensions


Planning System

• Defines how the individual/ organisation plans

• Who is responsible for planning?• Interaction of ‘Planning’ with other

Dimensions and Departments• Budget


Information Systems

• Mission: “To ensure that the right right information reaches the right right person, at the rightright time, in the rightright format”

• Defining the Information Systems group, what it does - and how

• Interactions of ‘InfoSystems’ with other Dimensions and Departments

• Budget


Other sub-Systems as appropriate:• Production System• Monitoring & Evaluation System• Finance and Finance Control System• Problem Solving and Learning Systems• Etc - whatever be the systems required - the

people involved should create them: the OPMSOPMS enables creation of such required sub-systems.


Monitoring & Evaluation System:

For each important element or group of elements in the Action Plan:

• Who’s responsible?• When should it be started/completed?• How Much ? - Budget for this item -

relationship with total budget for Mission• Etc - as required


Problem Solving System & Problem Solving System & Learning SystemLearning System

• Both above Systems are built into the very process of the OPMSOPMS

• We provide a series of models showing just what is meant by problem-solving and learning in the system environment

• Users are encouraged to add special features of their specific Problem-Solving and Learning Systems


Represents ”contributes to"

Effective Learning Effective Problem Solving


Learning & Problem SolvingLearning & Problem Solving• What do you want ‘learning’ to be in the

organisation/ for yourself? • Who learns? When? How? Detailed

definition/specification of ‘Learning Systems’ for the organisation/ for the individual.

• What do you want ‘problem solving’ to be?• Who problem solves? When? How?

Definition/specification of problem solving in the organisation/by the individual



A complete, ‘general system’

Thank you!Thank you!

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