Master the Art of Business
A world-class business education in a single volume. Learn the universal principles behind every successful business, then use these ideas to make more money, get more done, and have more fun in your life and work.
Chapter 11: Improving Systems
"In theory there's no difference between theory & practice. But, in practice, there is."
Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut, computer scientist
Creating and improving systems is the heart of successful business practice.
The purpose of understanding and analyzing systems is to improve them, which is often tricky — changing systems can often create unintended consequences.
In this chapter, you’ll learn the secrets of optimization, how to remove unnecessary friction from critical processes, and how to build systems that can handle uncertainty and change.
Key Ideas in Chapter 11
- Intervention Bias
- Optimization
- Refactoring
- The Critical Few
- Diminishing Returns
- Progressive Load
- Friction
- Automation
- The Paradox of Automation
- The Irony of Automation
- Standard Operating Procedure
- Checklist
- Process Overhead
- Cessation
- Resilience
- Fail-safes
- Stress Testing
- Scenario Planning
- Exploration / Exploitation
- Sustainable Growth Cycle
- The Middle Path
- The Experimental Mindset
Master the Art of Business
A world-class business education in a single volume. Learn the universal principles behind every successful business, then use these ideas to make more money, get more done, and have more fun in your life and work.
About Josh Kaufman
Josh Kaufman is an acclaimed business, learning, and skill acquisition expert. He is the author of two international bestsellers: The Personal MBA and The First 20 Hours. Josh's research and writing have helped millions of people worldwide learn the fundamentals of modern business.
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