Product Building3 min read
Quantify the problem before you fix it
Most teams can name their operational problems. Fewer can say what they cost — which is why the wrong things get fixed.
Ask a team what is broken and you will get a good list quickly. Ask which item on that list is most expensive and the room goes quiet.
Without a number attached, an operational problem loses every argument against whatever is loudest that week.
A workable sequence
Find it, size it, then act on it — in that order.
- Describe the problem in terms of what happens, not who is at fault.
- Estimate its impact, roughly, with evidence you can show.
- Compare it against the other candidates before committing.
Evidence changes the conversation
The goal is not precision. It is making the trade-off visible enough that a decision can be defended later.