Heuristics: any approach to problem-solving employs a practical method that is not guaranteed to be optimal, or perfect, but is nevertheless sufficient for reaching an immediate, short-term goal or approximation.
Simple rules of thumb are not perfect, but are designed not to be perfect; adopting some intellectual humility and abandoning the aim at sophistication can yield powerful effects.
Does it pass the sniff test?
Many proposals and recommendations sent in your direction don’t pass that simple test.
I haven’t read the 300+ page Ofqual report (on the UK A-level and GCSE results in 2020), but some of the outputs wouldn’t have passed that simple test and should have raised red flags.
Often there is power in simplicity. Then iterate, and iterate again. All it takes is a few steps, often at low cost, to make things better.
If you want to discover more decision-making frameworks and risk-taking, check out:
Share
If you enjoyed reading this article, then please share it with someone in your network who might appreciate it, like a friend, family member, or coworker.
Subscribe
If you liked this article, then please subscribe below for more insights like it. No spam, ever! Just great, insightful content on a weekly(ish) basis.