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Data Visualization Suggestions?
spool32
Contrary LibraryRegistered User, Transition Team regular
Contrary LibraryRegistered User, Transition Team regular
Hey hey.
I am looking for a visual way to express the idea that there is more Work (w) than there is Capacity (c), and that even if we increase c through Efficiency (e), until c(e)=w it won't look like we're accomplishing anything through implementing e because the reality is that we just increase Time (t) instead by pushing out deadlines.
How would I organize that into a graph or other visualization that gets the point across clearly and easily?
I am looking for a visual way to express the idea that there is more Work (w) than there is Capacity (c), and that even if we increase c through Efficiency (e), until c(e)=w it won't look like we're accomplishing anything through implementing e because the reality is that we just increase Time (t) instead by pushing out deadlines.
How would I organize that into a graph or other visualization that gets the point across clearly and easily?
+1
Posts
https://praxis.fortelabs.co/theory-of-constraints-104-balance-flow-not-capacity-60baa74ce9f4
At that point you can get the multiplier which is synonymous with your "efficiency" value. Like, if you need 3x the amount of capacity to meet the backlog then you need an actual force multiplier, not a 5% decrease in the amount of time it takes to process an invoice.
As for visualizing this, a simple line graph works well here:
The last point about drawing other lines is what makes it clear that even a strong increase in efficiency (20% is ridiculous, 5% is more realistic) would not allow the team to reach their goal in a realistic time frame.
This could probably be spread out across multiple slides, just so they aren't bombarded with everything at once. But it's a pretty straightforward story based on the fundamental tension between scope, cost, and schedule (a.k.a. the project management triangle). I'd hope that most of the people you're presenting this to would already be familiar with it, so you shouldn't need to do much hand-holding there. You're just presenting it in a language that they understand.
If you've got w as raw manhours(to accomplish) and c(e) as effective manhours to apply to the task (available*efficiency):
How does increasing e also increase t? Wouldn't ce be a representation of how much work is done in one unit of t?
Unless I'm misunderstanding your terms, I would expect the following to be a true statement: t = w/(ce)
Sort of. C is our real constant - we can increase T arbitrarily and in fact we have to because we can't finish all the W.
probably two slides? I have some pretty good data, but not everything the thread has asked for so far.
Ultimately my goal here is to explain why we need to hire three more people.
Oftentimes you are much better off splitting up a slide, especially one packed with a ton of data/graphics, into a series of progressing slides rather than one giant mess up front. Otherwise people will either be overwhelmed or will get lost in their own thoughts trying to understand your graphic on their own and just tune you out. You can get through 10 slides in this manner in the same amount of time that it would take you to deconstruct a single massive slide, and your audience will actually be listening to the story you are trying to tell.
Also, one big thing you need to make sure is that you have your shit down cold. Know all of the facts, but also know exactly where you are getting your numbers. You will absolutely be challenged on the bases of your argument, especially given you are asking for additional resources. Do not make shit up. Do not expect that everyone will agree with your underlying assumptions. Do not assume that everyone is willing or able to follow your chain of argument.
Anyone can put a bunch of numbers or graphics on a page to tell a story (well, not anyone, but anyone competent at managing upwards). The real differentiator is being able to respond to questions such as, "Where are you getting this estimate of the total work from?", "Did you account for the latest change in our process, which supposedly resolves the largest bottleneck that would skew your historical average of capacity?", and "Your estimate of Project Y is incorrect because of A, B, and C, therefore why should we accept your estimates for everything else?".
You don't have to always have a perfect, unassailable answer, but you do want to project a level of competence and knowledge that demands that your opinion be respected. Think of it this way - even if you don't get what you want, you should be able to walk away from the meeting having increased everyone else's estimation of your capabilities.
X-axis=time
Y-axis=%of work done
You can write stuff on this timeline to indicate recognizable steps in the process like packaging, final checkups, or whatever else your company does.*
Draw a few of those to display different situations, so you can show that that new efficient packaging machine makes that step of the process quicker, but that the time it takes to reach 100% is not moved by more than a few minutes or hours. The situation where you increase the capacity should be the one that sticks out, because that should be the one that reaches 100% way faster than the others.
The nice thing is that you could overlay the graphs so that they can compare them easily, but you can display them one at a time first for easy readability.
If you are looking for a very simple way to get your point across you can simplify the process by describing it as a hose that fills a swimming pool. You have the water=w, e=size of the hose and c=the tap. No matter how wide your hose is, unless you open up the tap more the amount of water going into the pool will be the same. It is hamfisted, I guess, but depending on your audience it might be very efficient.
*for logistics my girlfriend adds icons with time and location written under it for when the truck arrives at a shop, when the parcels are loaded into an airplane, when the plane lands at the airport and when it gets loaded into a truck heading to the customer.