The FINE Formula

Keep your improvements FINE-grained for better results

Author, consultant and retrospective guru Esther Derby’s new book on the power of “micro-shifts” has a useful rule of thumb for your next team meeting or retrospective: the “FINE-grained” principle:

“Good experiments are FINE grained: they provide fast feedback, are (ideally) inexpensive, require no permission, and are EASY.”

The FINE Formula

• FAST feedback
• INEXPENSIVE
• requires no PERMISSION
• EASY to try.

The big power of small changes

Esther’s book repeatedly circles back to a principle that many of us who run retrospectives are familiar with: that the best way to tackle big problems is often through small but steady improvements, instead of the big “swing for the fences” change management initiatives, like the kind favored by consultants and Magical Managerialists.

“Working small on influencing factors is often the only way to make progress on big problems,” she writes. “These tiny changes may feel like dancing around the real problem instead of facing it directly—but many big problems cannot be addressed directly; progress comes by working on the influencing factors. The key is to find something you can act on now, without a budget, permission, or an act of God (or some large number of vice presidents).”

“Little changes limit disruption and allow people to learn…. They instill ownership by involving the people affected by the change. That in turn reduces the likelihood that people will feel like victims.”

“Big changes, on the other hands are often perceived as threats.”