This chapter can build your confidence that the process described in The Business Analyzer and Planner is that better way, whether you are solving a problem, evaluating an opportunity, or planning a strategy.
All business challenges are really the same regardless of whether they involve products or services, problems or opportunities, or high tech, low tech, or not tech. Why? Because in each the these situations, you are always seeking the same end results: increase sales and profits, reduce cost and risk, and just simply make things better.
There are three pitfalls to reaching those goals.
- The excuse that never seems to be enough time for proper analysis.
- The lure of what is familiar and comfortable, which usually leads to recycled decision that do not match new problems very well.
- Emotional excitement, which, in the heat of crisis or in the euphoria of success, usually blocks the cool thinking to solve problems or to take full advantage of opportunities.
In order to get past these pitfalls, you need a fresh solution-finding process that is fast but not hasty, thorough but not tedious, and objective instead of subjective. It's like using radar to find the best business decision -- fast, accurate, and forward looking.
