DoDAD

I've recently taken up a new role with more responsibilities and more reports. It was a merger of the team I formerly lead and another team. Which as it happens included all new people - change often breeds more change.

In this new role (which I have been in now for a little over four months) I have had to take a step away from the coalface. I haven't got the time to be as involved in all the day-to-day work as I had previously. I have two new areas of responsibility and more being added as a matter of need from the business.

Previously I had been doing a lot of thinking about how to manage tasks and workflow. How to be as productive as a I can be with the limited hours in each day.

I came up with DoDAD about two years ago.

It's a simple assessment process that I use for tasks that come across my desk. This could be something as simple as an email or more planned like a new project or action from a business plan.

Each task needs to go through the DoDAD process. It is as simple as asking these questions...

Do - Can or should you just do the task?

Is it something that sits at your level, or your skillset? Often these are quick answers a request from senior management that require your direct response. Sometimes these tasks require your expert advice or skills. It might be writing a strategic document or responding to a Director about an issue. In other words this is something that requires YOU to DO.

Delegate - Can or should someone else do it?

It is often more efficient to get work done at the lowest possible point (I'm not saying that a hierarchy is where those higher up sit on their arse and get no work done - I mean it in the way that freeing up tasks that can be delegated to someone else means you can do those tasks they can't, better and with more time). This is about finding the right fit for the task. Often delegating to a specialist means the task is done better, faster and with less mistakes.

Automate - Is this a recurring task? Can technology or a system take over the task?

Not only is this a task that you shouldn't be doing, it's one no-one being paid by the hour should be doing. There are a plethora of software solutions for this. IFTTT (If This Than That) tools like Zaiper. Your eDM client software can send automated responses to new subscribers, or follow-up on those that haven't open an email for some time. These often take time to setup and require regular maintenance and testing, but the savings outweigh these aspects.

Detonate - Are there tasks that just should not be done? In every system there is waste, can you reduce that waste by removing the task or the need to do the task?

Process Mapping can help determine these and a good practice of Continuous Improvement will help to identify and reduce these over time. However, I would say it's a good practice to question tasks. If the answer to why is, we always do it this way, it's probably time to really take a look at it.

For me the recent changes have heightened the need for me to practice DoDAD each day. The challenge is that while you need to 'let go' of some tasks, you also need to be aware of where they are at. This means more emphasis on communication, be clear on the outcome and regular updates on the progress. Delegating or Automating doesn't take away the ultimate responsibility, but it does increase time and opportunity to work on the things that you are needed for.

Practicing the above with something like calendar blocking will certainly increase your productivity.

Check out Ian Narino and his Three 90-minute blocks, or start using something like KanBanFlow (personally I like the points you get for working in 25 minutes blocks).

You need to find your way to DoDAD, if you have a prefered tool or trick let me know in the comments.