Business of Racquets - best played indoors !

DELHI, INDIA - OCTOBER 13: Ryan Cuskelly (yellow bandana) of Australia watches Harry Leitch of Scotland during the bronze medal the mens doubles squash at Siri Fort Sports Complex during day ten of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games on October 13, 2010 in Delhi, India. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

OK raquets is a game like squash - they have this in common -

 "best played indoors !"

Working on any idea without feedback is begging for unnecessary risk. Consider a few examples -

Driving with your eyes closed !

A Hairdresser who hates mirrors !

Examinations with no results !

Heating without a thermostat !

Lights being on when no-one is home !

Yes - I am discussing something that is blindingly obvious, or obvious when you are blinded.  It is a movement in business the "lean startup".




One major tenet of this is simple:

Eric Ries - The Lean Startup, London Edition (Photo credit: betsyweber)

Instead of driving a long way and then looking to see if you are on track (or heading towards a tree), you instead continually seek feedback from the people who you intend to benefit from your services.  


When I was young this was called - "keeping your eye on the ball, and the goal in sight"

It was a good idea then and is still.

However it is also expressed as "Fail Fast" - and I think this is wrong !

This idea (which is correct) is that you recognize error early and thus take corrective action, prior to incurring significant costs or disaster.


This is not failing - it is steering !

Building management systems are meant to do this, in their control algorithms - often they do not , and the study of this is all about Building Energy Intelligence - the idea is to ensure that energy is managed effectively and at least cost.