SMART Versus DUMB Criteria
April 26, 2012 22 Comments
The intent here is to illustrate the difference between clear, or SMART (Specific, Measurable, Adjustable, Relevant, and Time-based) definitions and criteria contrasted with unclear or DUMB (ie, Dull, Ubiquitous, Myopic, and Broad) definitions and criteria.
An Unclear Business Definition
(Example of DUMB Customer ID)
A Clear Business Definition
(Example of SMART Customer ID)
“A twelve character code that uniquely identifies a customer for our business. The code will be displayed on all customer shipments and invoices. Customers and customer service representatives use this code to resolve shipping or invoicing issues. Finance uses this code to track customer sales performance. Marketing uses this code for determining customer segment and group performance. Sales uses this code to identify products purchases by customer.”
The code consists of the following:
- Character One—either the letter “I” for customers internal to the company or the letter “E” for customers external to the company
- Character Two—either the letter “U” for United States customers or the the letter “M” for multi-national customers without corporate headquarters in the United States
- Characters Three and Four—two letter state code for the United States, Canada, and Mexico or two letter country code for other countries
- Characters Five through Ten—system-generated numeric ID that is to unique to each customer
- Characters Eleven and Twelve—system generated numeric ID that is unique to each customer distribution center
Let us know what you think by commenting below. For additional methodology and team-based meeting support for your change initiative, refer to “Change or Die, a Business Process Improvement Manual” for much of the support you might need.
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- The Role of Session Leader (facilitativeleadership.wordpress.com)
- How to Get a Promising Meeting to Fail (facilitativeleadership.wordpress.com)
- How to Facilitate Brainstorming (facilitativeleadership.wordpress.com)
- How to Converge Your Brainstorming Input – Key Measure (continued) (facilitativeleadership.wordpress.com)