The reason DX isn't progressing is that the questions are off-base—Why don't you see results even after implementing the right measures?
We are already doing enough DX.
We have introduced tools.
We have organized our operations.
In meetings, 'reasonable points' are being raised.
And yet—
The results are not as expected.
The way the team works hasn't changed.
You become unsure of what to do next.
If you have this feeling,
it is not a problem of effort or ability.
Common stumbling blocks in DX and improvement
In many workplaces, these things are happening.
Even though we are implementing measures that should be correct, the effect is minimal
There are few objections in meetings, yet nothing gets decided
Even though a conclusion should have been reached, the actions on the ground are misaligned
'Let's try it for now' is repeated over and over
No one is slacking off.
No one is saying anything wrong.
Even so, things do not move forward.
The problem is not the 'method'
At times like this, we tend to think:
Is there a better way to do this?
Was the explanation insufficient?
Is the team's understanding lacking?
But in reality,
even if you change the method, you often end up stuck in the same place.
This is because,
the 'way of starting to think' that comes before that is not aligned.
Before you know it, the questions become scattered
In work discussions,
without realizing it,
the 'starting point of thinking' differs from person to person.
For example, even with the same DX,
someone thinking, "I want to increase efficiency first"
someone thinking, "I want to prioritize future scalability"
someone thinking, "I want to reduce the burden on the front lines"
Each is correct.
But they are not considering the same question.
When people exchange opinions in this state,
only "logical arguments" increase.
Even though they don't align,
no one can deny them.
The reason why it becomes impossible to decide as logical arguments increase
If you discuss without aligning the questions,
every opinion looks correct
but you don't know which one to choose
as a result, "let's go with this for now" continues
In other words,
you are not lost;
it is just ambiguous what you are deciding on.
What should be aligned first is not the "answer"
Here, try reversing your thinking for a moment.
what to improve
which measure to choose
before that,
what is the number one problem we are treating in this work right now
Have you properly defined it?
How you "frame the problem"
greatly influences how work progresses.
The moment DX begins to move
DX and improvements start to move,
not when the correct answer is found,
butwhen the premises of your thinking are aligned
is when it happens.
Once the premises are aligned,
it becomes easier to judge whether measures are good or bad
priorities are determined naturally
explanations to the team become simpler
You will no longer be lost about "what to do next."
If you're reading next, start with these two
If you feel like,
you're doing the right things but not moving forward
meetings just end up being exhausting
you want to rethink your next move
If you feel that way,
I recommend reading the article on "how to frame questions" next.
▶ Start here
#QuestionDesign | Having a structural perspective before DX
— Rethinking DX not as a "means" but from "how to frame the problem"
▶ If you want to take it a step further
#Designing the Question | Concept is Translation
— Why do good concepts not reach the front lines?
When DX or improvements stall,
it is okay not to force the addition of the next measure.
If you stop for a moment and
align on "what you are seeing as the problem,"
work will begin to move quietly.
From here on out,
this is not a story about searching for answers.
It is a story about organizing how to start thinking.