Processes and Trust

3 Aug

Dima poses that "trust" plays an important role in how we execute multi-step processes, and together with Slava they explore the implications.

Process is a sequence of steps where each output becomes the next step's input — and before it can, trust in that output must be established
Three ways to establish that trust
- Direct verification – check the output before passing on
- Trust the process – like when a mechanic follows diagnostics process prescribed by the manufacturer
- Trust the executor – Slava would not give me something that's not good
Slava argues trusting yourself as executor is a stretch — you know when you cut corners
Formal vs informal verification
- formal explicitly accounts for what happens when verification fails
- informal leaves you without a plan if something goes wrong
Trust evolves — first you check every output, then you trust the person, eventually you trust them to define the procedure themselves
For repeated processes, optimise the trust mechanism rather than verifying every output each time
Slava suggests what matters is defining success criteria — definition of done; how it's done is secondary

"This is a good coffee because I brewed it." — Dima

Delegated Productivity