The ‘One Page Management System’ (OPMS) It’s the tool par excellence to transform IDEAS to effective ACTION

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.2 IDEAS: The importance of IDEAS: ALL IDEASALL human accomplishment - individual, organisational or societal - is based on IDEAS But ideas can get accomplished only when they are effectively acted upon Therefore, we need means to ensure effective action on our available ideas effectivelyThe best of ideas would fail if they are not effectively acted on

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.3 IDEAS: About IDEAS: NOTBad Ideas (which should NOT be pursued) Trivial Ideas Good, Small Ideas Good, Big Ideas Great & Noble Ideas Ideas that may be impossible to accomplish “To create educational systems for India that would enable our citizens to accomplish all they are capable of”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.4 IDEAS: About IDEAS: Using conventional means, it is not easy to arrive at a realistic understanding of the true value or type of an idea Great accomplishments cannot come out of trivial ideas - trivial ideas would generally lead only to trivial accomplishments Small (but not trivial) ideas - when well handled - may lead to truly worthy accomplishment Great ideas may or may not lead to great accomplishment - they most probably would NOT lead to great accomplishment if not effectively handled and acted upon “Garibi Hatao!”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.5 practical In any case, we do require practical means to enable effective handling of every worthwhile idea - from inception to final action on the idea

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.6 Ideas may range from ‘apparently simple’ to ‘apparently very complex’ But the complexity of an idea is actually a function of our perceptions of it!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.7 A couple of important characteristics of ideas: An idea may contain any number of other ideasAn idea may contain any number of other ideas Ideas can be extremely ‘slippery’ if not handled right - they often just disappear - or appear to change from what we wanted to mean!Ideas can be extremely ‘slippery’ if not handled right - they often just disappear - or appear to change from what we wanted to mean!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.8 Action In general, handling of Ideas for Action is a process involving: GenerationIdea Generation OrganisationIdea Organisation Interactive Management

Interactive Management More about Interactive Management (IM): IM is THE seminal development in general system theory, from Professor John N. Warfield. IM enables us to develop - from our own good ideas - effective, actionable pictures of the systems we work within.

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.10 Interactive Management Interactive Management involves: Human ideas and perceptions - linguistics An integration of human psychology (behavioral issues) with technological concerns - how technology is used in real life “The resolution to a problem must come from the people involved in the problem”“The resolution to a problem must come from the people involved in the problem” Cybernetics: “The science of communication and control in the animal and the machine” A ‘cybernetic’, ‘systems’ view of the world Demands Democracy in the organisation!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.11 Systems Theory: the transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence. It investigates both the principles common to all complex entities, and the (usually mathematical) models which can be used to describe them

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.12 I M, OPMS : To Interactive Management, OPMS adds of ‘integration of ideas’: Idea Generation Idea Structuring Idea Integration IM OPMS

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.13 Not just ‘idea generation in the abstract ’ ‘focussed’ Idea Generation But ‘focussed’ Idea Generation Enable and Ensure effectiveACTION The underlying idea always being: Enable and Ensure effective ACTION!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.14 Focus ‘trigger question’: “What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO DO to get the right job for your abilities and interests ?” “To get the right job for your abilities and interests ?” MISSION

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.15 : Some Missions: “To get the right job for my interests, abilities”“To get the right job for my interests, abilities” “To convince you that the OPMS approach offers a feasible way to go”“To convince you that the OPMS approach offers a feasible way to go” “To ensure all in the Production Department get highly motivated to perform to the best of their abilities” XYZ Ltd - “To reach turnover of Rs 2000 crores, with PAT of Rs 300 crores, by 2005”XYZ Ltd - “To reach turnover of Rs 2000 crores, with PAT of Rs 300 crores, by 2005” “To ensure that the bureaucracy becomes truly responsive to the real needs of citizens” “To cleanse the Ganga”“To cleanse the Ganga” “To ensure 90% literacy in Nation within 10 years”“To ensure 90% literacy in Nation within 10 years” Ambitious Missions are accomplished by ‘stakeholders’ in Mission Rajiv Gandhi’s Mission - failed Another failed RG Mission “To propagate OPMS in India and worldwide”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.16 Ambitious Missions are highly susceptible to failure!! OPMS Ambitious Missions are highly susceptible to failure!! --- The OPMS approach can help us successfully accomplish ANY kind of ambitious Mission, whether individual, organisational, or societal Please note: Not WILL Please note: Not “WILL help”!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.17 OPMS “You have a problem or Mission at hand? Not quite satisfied with the existing means of handling it? Try out the OPMS approach - it can help you move several significant steps forward!” OPMS just asks: “You have a problem or Mission at hand? Not quite satisfied with the existing means of handling it? Try out the OPMS approach - it can help you move several significant steps forward!”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.18 General format of ‘first trigger question’ in OPMS approach: “What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO DO to accomplish ‘Mission’ ?”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.19 Focussed Trigger Questions on Mission lead to: Lists of ideas Effective Organisationof Ideas Effective Organisation of Ideas demand Developments from ‘brainstorming’ Idea ‘structuring’

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.20 ‘generating ideas’ Conventional management practices do not do too badly in terms of ‘generating ideas’ - though the usual methods could bear improvement But conventional mgmt. theory & practice are BOTH extremely deficient indeed in terms of ‘structuring of ideas’ - the concept barely exists!

1st Step: Generate relevant ideas (from the people actually involved in the Mission)

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.22 “To double turnover within 1 year” MISSION: “To double turnover within 1 year” “What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO…?” Some ideas generated: Obtain needed finance for basic working capital Explore new, untried markets Launch a new product Appoint a dynamic CEO who knows our business + the markets Create more effective dealer network … (etc, etc)

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.23 Okay - Ideas have been generated. Now, those ideas must be effectively organised for action

“ Does, in your opinion, To obtain needed finance for basic working capital (1) contribute To explore new, untried markets (2) ? ” (Response “YES”)

“ Does, in your opinion, To explore new, untried markets (2) contribute To obtain needed finance for basic working capital (1) ? ” (Response “NO”)

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.26 ‘mental model’ What we have done is to record the ‘mental model’ of perceived relationships between two elements in a ‘graphical format’: To explore new, untried markets (2) To obtain needed finance for basic working capital (1) CONTRIBUTES

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.27 “contributes to” We ask a few more such questions. An important property of the relationship “contributes to” enables us to create the entire model quite efficiently

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.28 should contribute To monitor rigorously, day by day Create more effective dealer network Launch a new product (A) Explore new, untried markets (B) Obtain needed finance for basic working capital Appoint new CEO Create more effective marketing system Model in THINGS TO DO Dimension (read bottom upwards)

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.29 “contributes to” The relationship “contributes to” has the following property: If A B AND B C then A MUST C (where A,B, C stand for various elements and ‘ ’ stands for “contributes to”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.30 Does this seem familiar to you? Right! Right! It’s like ‘PERT/CPM’ - which is predicated on basis of the transitive relationship “precedes” MSProject Primavera

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.31 House complete Roof complet e Roof Frame complete Wall Brickwork complete External plastering complete Door, Window Framework complete Foundation Complete Precedes So-called Project Planning: Building a House

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.32 precedes cannot precede If ‘A’ precedes ‘B’ Then ‘B’ cannot precede ‘A’ (and the reverse question needs no asking) “contributes to” However, if ‘A’ “contributes to” ‘B’ contribute to” ‘B’ may still contribute to” ‘A’ ‘reflexive’ i.e., the relationship is ‘reflexive’ One difference:

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.33 ‘Precedence’ ‘Precedence’ can help us explore familiar and well-known systems ‘contribution’ But only the concept of ‘contribution’ can enable us to explore and to understand systems containing sizable sections unknown BIG But the BIG difference:

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.34 ALL“contribute to” Any Mission is automatically accomplished if ALL the activities that may “contribute to” that Mission are done by people involved contributes toTHE MOST IMPORTANT ‘Action Word’ In this sense, the relationship contributes to is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT concept in any language! It is the critical ‘Action Word’. Here’s the crux of the matter:

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.35 should contribute To monitor rigorously, day by day To create more effective dealer network To launch a new product (A) To explore new, untried markets (B) To obtain needed finance for basic working capital To appoint new CEO To create more effective marketing system INTENT STRUCTURE This is called an INTENT STRUCTURE To double turnover within 1 year ‘Intentions’, connected by perceived ‘contribution’ relationships between the intentions!!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.36 Intent Structures may require modifications from time to time should contribute To monitor rigorously, day by day Create more effective dealer network Launch a new product (A) Explore new, untried markets (B) Obtain needed finance for basic working capital Appoint new CEO Create more effective marketing system To double turnover within 1 year

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.37 When an individual or group starts work on an unknown Mission, it is like someone stepping into a darkened room - without a flashlight. As these ‘contribution structures’ are developed, the Mission becomes continuingly clarified to the people involved in the Mission (just as the dark room becomes familiar to the explorer through his/her groping around).

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.38 THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO These models can become as large as required to describe the most complex live situation! Over time, as we work on our Missions, our models may come to comprise hundreds or even thousands of elements!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.39 THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO It turns out that this process of structuring with “contributes to” enables the users to focus at any time on just a narrow band of a few ideas!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.40 THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO EFFECTIVE Action Plans In such models, we can easily ‘fill in the gaps’ wherever found, in almost real-time - thus this process is ideal for creating EFFECTIVE Action Plans

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.41 should contribute To monitor rigorously, day by day Create more effective dealer network Launch a new product (A) Explore new, untried markets (B) Obtain needed finance for basic working capital Appoint new CEO Create more effective marketing system To double turnover within 1 year Any such model can be translated into ‘standard prose’ very easily indeed! And this little model would translate into nearly a full page of prose. Obviously, it is MUCH easier to read, understand and remember the model!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.42 should contribute To monitor rigorously, day by day Create more effective dealer network Launch a new product (A) Explore new, untried markets (B) Obtain needed finance for basic working capital Appoint new CEO Create more effective marketing system To double turnover within 1 year A quick translation: should contribute should contribute each of which contribute to each other. Everything we do requires regular monitoring - such as - Obtain needed finance for basic working capital & to appoint a CEO should contribute to Create more effective marketing system which in turn should contribute to Launch a new product and to explore new, untried markets each of which contribute to each other. Also, obtaining needed finance for basic working capital & appointing a CEO should contribute to Launch a new product and to explore new, untried markets …… In turn, Launch a new product and to explore new, untried markets should contribute to create a new dealer network. Also...

A model of elements, occupying maybe 2-3 pages might be the equivalent of pages of prose!!! The length of the prose translation expands exponentially as the number of elements increase!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.44 THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO Also, the models can be ‘blown up’ as required to the depth and detail as required

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.45 Also, because of the “contribution” relationship, an ‘Action Planning’ model also shows the WHY? and the HOW? of each element... THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO WHY? HOW?

To… WHY? HOW? Up  WHY? Down  HOW? To match/surpass productivity of Israeli s/w industry by 2003 To ensure high quality of Indian s/w services and products To encourage s/w orgs to spend at least 25% of ttl s/w budget for s/w productivity tools To allow companies to utilise part of their export earnings for means to meet delivery schedules To.. should contribute

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.47 THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO WHY? HOW? UP“WHY?” UP the model to find out “WHY?” DOWN “HOW?” DOWN the model to find out “HOW?”

ISM The model shown: ISM ISM I nterpretive S tructural M odel

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.49 ISM Warfield’s ISM process is a grand generalisation of the well known PERT/CPM tool, used in so- called “Project Management Software” precedes PERT/CPM is based on the transitive relationship “precedes”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.50 NEVER … but “precedence” is NEVER sufficient to describe ALL relevant aspects of a real ‘system’, such as an organisation working to accomplish a challenging Mission! Warfield’s ISM enables us to use ANY transitive relationship, choosing exactly the one that is relevant to the issue under consideration at the specific time!

Transitive Relationships in a system: “contributes to” – crucial for Action Planning - is just one of the transitive relationships. There are many others …

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.52 Some more examples of transitive relationships: “is more important than” “should have higher priority than” “aggravates” “enhances” “implies” “leads to” (strictly) includes “precedes” ( used for PERT Charts – which provide the basis of most conventional ‘Project Management Software’) Different transitive relationships are appropriate at different parts of the system, at different times!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.53 The second powerful systems modeling technique invented by Professor John N. Warfield: F ield R epresentation & P rofiling… …helps us clearly portray the dimensions of a system...

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.54 In brief - it is ‘clustering’ with due consideration of relationships in systems: First, we try to cleanse our minds of all pre-conceived categories.. Then, OPMS asks questions like…

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.55 Field Representation & Profiling (contd.) (In the context of the kind of actions needed to overcome the barriers, etc.) “ “ Is (B) Low productivity of Indian software industry SIMILAR TO (A) Our educational systems are highly ineffective ” ? ”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.56 Response “YES” would put element ‘B’ into the same category as ‘A’ - “NO” would put it into a different category… …yielding models like the one illustrated next …

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.57 Titles created after clustering

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.58 FR anyall Basically, FR provides a means of ‘clustering’ the elements into “similarity classes” or “categories”. A critical component of a Field Representation is the ‘System Tie-Line’ - which represents any or all of the relationships inherent in the system under consideration.

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.59

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.60 The elements are ‘linked’ by appropriate relationships as perceived by the users

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.61 The OPMS provides a facility to enable users write down prose translations of such visual linkages “XYZ” MAY TEND TO INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF “ABC” XYZ ABC

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.62 It takes a while to develop the skills needed to use the System Tie Line effectively to link different dimensions and elements together… It’s well worth our while to work towards developing these skills…

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.63 …because Field Representations, over sufficient iterations, can be shown to satisfy “ Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.64 Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety (Simple Simon’s version) … “The dimensions of a proposed solution to a problem must match the dimensions of the problem” (If too few dimensions, the solution won’t work – if too many, the solution would be too expensive or too complicated!) Ashby’s Law! Most deficiencies and failures in organisational & societal systems take root from the fact that the systems in question fail to satisfy Ashby’s Law!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.65

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.66 ‘actionably’! System descriptions and prescriptions developed from Field Representations enable us to discuss true systems meaningfully and ‘actionably’!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.67 Despite its surface simplicity, this simple categorization can be a very powerful and subtle tool, leading to some comprehensive articulations of the most ‘complex systems’… - for example, the ‘One Page Management System’ …

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.68 To develop an OPMS, we need to ask and respond to six FUNDAMENTAL Questions on the following Dimensions: THINGS TO DOTHINGS TO DO BARRIERS / DIFFICULTIES / THREATSBARRIERS / DIFFICULTIES / THREATS STRENGTHS (Available / Required)STRENGTHS (Available / Required) WEAKNESSESWEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES (Available / Preparation required to utilise)OPPORTUNITIES (Available / Preparation required to utilise) EVENTS / MILESTONESEVENTS / MILESTONES

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.69 So what is this One Page Management System? What does it look like?

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.70 It’s a ‘model of models’, involving: Idea Generation Idea Structuring Idea Integration IM OPMS

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.71 MODELOFMODELS! onto a single page The Field Representation shown first was a ‘model of elements’. The OPMS, next slide, is a Field Representation which is actually a MODEL OF MODELS! It consists of all the models constructed during the ‘process’ of accomplishing a Mission, crystallized onto a single page.

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.72 Mission: “To recruit and retain talent” Mission ‘Fundamental’ Dimensions of OPMS System Tie Line ‘System’ Dimensions of OPMS System Tie-Line any or all The System Tie-Line represents any or all of the relationships inherent in the system under discussion

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.73 Mission: “To recruit and retain talent” “Contribute to”“Aggravate” “Enhance” “lead to” “Aggravate” “Precede”

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.74 OPMS‘general system framework’ effective action The OPMS is a ‘general system framework’ to help us organise our ideas and activities in pursuit of any well-conceived Mission - with a view to enable and ensure effective action

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.75 OPMS How is OPMS different from the conventional ‘Project Management Software?’ (e.g. MSProject, Primavera, etc)

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.76 Mission: “To recruit and retain talent” Conventional ‘Project Management Software’ “Precede”

Hinder/Prevent Accomplishment

Help Overcome

OPMS, OPMS: Using OPMS, people involved can always see the linkages between the various dimensions of the OPMS: A: THINGS TO DO B: BARRIERS C: STRENGTHS HELP ACCOMPLISH HINDER HELP OVERCOME

…more linkages… B: Barriers/Weaknesses HINDER Activities Strengths required HELP ACCOMPLISH HELP OVERCOME Opportunities HELP AVAIL

Activities B: Barriers/Weaknesses Strengths required HELP ACCOMPLISH HINDER HELP OVERCOME Opportunities HELP AVAIL MISSION HELP ACCOMPLISH

These models can become as detailed as required, right down to the level of… WHICH BARRIER hinders WHICH ACTIVITY? WHICH STRENGTH is required to overcome WHICH BARRIER? All this and more becomes clear as the OPMS is developed!

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.83 Linkages between ‘BARRIERS’ & ‘THINGS TO DO’ The barrier marked in the FR HINDERS / PREVENTS accomplishment of the objective marked in the ISM (and all objectives above it)!

Fundamental Dimensions

Activities B: Barriers/Weaknesses Strengths required HELP ACCOMPLISH HINDER HELP OVERCOME Opportunities HELP AVAIL MISSION HELP ACCOMPLISH

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.86 ‘Fundamental Dimensions’ THINGS TO DO All needed ‘subsystems’ for the Mission will develop most effectively indeed as the people involved in the Mission understand clearly how various elements in the ‘Fundamental Dimensions’ impact on the THINGS TO DO to accomplish the Mission

‘System’ Dimensions

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.88 Planning System Defines how the individual/ organisation plans Who is responsible for planning? Interaction of ‘Planning’ with other Dimensions and Departments Budget

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.89 Information Systems right right rightrightMission: “To ensure that the right information reaches the right person, at the right time, in the right format” Defining the Information Systems group, what it does - and how Interactions of ‘InfoSystems’ with other Dimensions and Departments Budget

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.90 Other sub-Systems as appropriate: Production System Monitoring & Evaluation System Finance and Finance Control System Problem Solving and Learning Systems OPMSEtc - whatever be the systems required - the people involved should create them: the OPMS enables creation of such required sub-systems.

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.91 Monitoring & Evaluation System: For each important element or group of elements in the Action Plan: Who’s responsible? When should it be started/completed? How Much ? - Budget for this item - relationship with total budget for Mission Etc - as required

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.92 Problem Solving System & Learning System OPMSBoth above Systems are built into the very process of the OPMS We provide a series of models showing just what is meant by problem-solving and learning in the system environment Users are encouraged to add special features of their specific Problem-Solving and Learning Systems

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.93 Represents ”contributes to" Effective LearningEffective Problem Solving

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.94 Learning & Problem Solving What do you want ‘learning’ to be in the organisation/ for yourself? Who learns? When? How? Detailed definition/specification of ‘Learning Systems’ for the organisation/ for the individual. What do you want ‘problem solving’ to be? Who problem solves? When? How? Definition/specification of problem solving in the organisation/by the individual

GSC - OPMS - IIT Pres.95 Mission: “To recruit and retain talent” A complete, ‘general system’

Thank you!