The

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The One Page Management System(OPMS)

• Its the tool par excellence to transform IDEAS
  to effective ACTION

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The importance of IDEAS

• ALL 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
• The best of ideas would fail if they are not
  effectively acted on

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About IDEAS

• Bad 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
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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!
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In any case, we do require practical means to
enable effective handling of every worthwhile
idea - from inception to final action on the idea
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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!
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A couple of important characteristics of ideas

• An 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!

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In general, handling of Ideas for Action is a
process involving
InteractiveManagement

• Idea Generation
• Idea Organisation

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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.

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Interactive Management involves
A cybernetic, systems view of the world

• 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

Demands Democracy in the organisation!
Cybernetics The science of communication and
control in the animal and the machine
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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
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To Interactive Management, OPMS adds of
integration of ideas

• Idea Generation
• Idea Structuring

IM
? Idea Integration
OPMS
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Not just idea generation in the abstract
The underlying idea always being Enable and
Ensure effective ACTION!
But focussed Idea Generation
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Focus trigger question
MISSION
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 ?
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Some Missions
Ambitious Missions areaccomplished by
stakeholders in Mission

• To get the right job for my interests,
  abilities
• 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
• To ensure that the bureaucracy becomes truly
  responsive to the real needs of citizens
• To cleanse the Ganga
• To ensure 90 literacy in Nation within 10 years

To propagate OPMS in India and worldwide
Rajiv Gandhis Mission - failed
Another failedRG Mission
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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 help!
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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!
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General format of first trigger question in
OPMS approach
What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO DO to
accomplish Mission ?
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Focussed Trigger Questions on Mission lead to
Developments from brainstorming
Lists of ideas
Idea structuring
demand
Effective Organisation of Ideas
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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!
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1st Step

• Generate relevant ideas
• (from the people actually involved in the Mission)

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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)

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Okay - Ideas have been generated.
Now, those ideas must be effectively organised
for action
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• Does, in your opinion,
• To obtain needed finance for basic working
  capital (1)
• contribute
• To explore new, untried markets (2)
• ? (Response YES)

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

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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)
CONTRIBUTES
To obtain needed finance for basic working
capital (1)
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We ask a few more such questions. An important
property of the relationship contributes to
enables us to create the entire model quite
efficiently
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Model in THINGS TO DO Dimension (read bottom
upwards)
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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
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Does this seem familiar to you?
Right! Its like PERT/CPM - which is
predicated on basis of the transitive
relationship precedes
MSProject
Primavera
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So-called Project Planning Building a House
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If A precedes BThen B cannot precede
A(and the reverse question needs no asking)
One difference
However, if A contributes to B B may
still contribute to A i.e., the relationship
is reflexive
33
Precedence can help us explore familiar
andwell-known systems
But the BIG difference
But only the concept of contribution can enable
us to explore and to understand systems
containing sizable sections unknown
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Any Mission is automatically accomplished if ALL
the activities that may contribute to that
Mission are done by people involved
Heres the crux of the matter
In this sense, the relationship contributes to is
probably THE MOST IMPORTANT concept in any
language! It is the critical Action Word.
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This is called an INTENT STRUCTURE
Intentions, connected by perceived
contribution relationships between the
intentions!!
To double turnover within 1 year
To monitor rigorously, day by day
should contribute
To create more effective dealer network

• To launch a new product (A)
• To explore new, untried markets (B)

To create more effective marketing system
To obtain needed finance for basic working capital
To appoint new CEO
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Intent Structures may require modifications from
time to time
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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).
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THINGS 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!
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THINGS 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!
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THINGS TO DO
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
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Any such model can be translated into standard
prose very easily indeed! And this little
model would translateinto nearly a full page of
prose. Obviously, it is MUCH easier to read,
understand and remember the model!
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A quick translation
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...
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A model of 40-50 elements, occupying maybe 2-3
pages might be the equivalent of 30-40 pages of
prose!!!The length of the prose translation
expands exponentially as the number of elements
increase!
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THINGS TO DO
Also, the models can be blown up as required to
the depth and detail as required
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Also, because of the contribution relationship,
an Action Planning model also shows the WHY?
and the HOW? of each element...
THINGS TO DO
WHY?
HOW?
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Up ? WHY?
Down ? HOW?
WHY?
HOW?
To
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UP the model to find out WHY? DOWN the model
to find out HOW?
THINGS TO DO
WHY?
HOW?
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The model shown ISM

• Interpretive Structural Model

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Warfields ISM process is a grand generalisation
of the well known PERT/CPM tool, used in
so-called Project Management Software

• PERT/CPM is based on the transitive relationship
  precedes

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but precedence is NEVER sufficient to
describe ALL relevant aspects of a real system,
such as an organisation working to accomplish a
challenging Mission!

• Warfields ISM enables us to use ANY transitive
  relationship, choosing exactly the one that is
  relevant to the issue under consideration at the
  specific time!

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Transitive Relationships in a system

• contributes to crucial for Action Planning -
  is just one of the transitive relationships.
• There are many others

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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!
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The second powerful systems modeling technique
invented by Professor John N. Warfield Field
Representation Profiling

• helps us clearly portray the
• dimensions of a system...

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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

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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
• ?

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Response YES would put element B into the
same category as A -NO would put it into a
different categoryyielding models like the
one illustrated next
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Titles createdafter clustering




















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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.
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The elements are linked by appropriate
relationships as perceived by the users




















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The OPMS provides a facility to enable users
write down prose translations of such visual
linkages




XYZ





XYZ MAY TEND TO INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF
ABC







ABC




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It takes a while to develop the skills needed to
use the System Tie Line effectively to link
different dimensions and elements togetherIts
well worth our while to work towards developing
these skills
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because Field Representations, over sufficient
iterations, can be shown to satisfy Ashbys Law
of Requisite Variety
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Ashbys Law of Requisite Variety (Simple Simons
version)
Most deficiencies and failures in organisational
societal systems take root from the fact that
the systems in question fail to satisfy Ashbys
Law!

• The dimensions of a proposed solution to a
  problem must match the dimensions of the problem
• (If too few dimensions, the solution wont work
  if too many, the solution would be too expensive
  or too complicated!)

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System descriptions and prescriptions developed
from Field Representations enable us to discuss
true systems meaningfully and actionably!
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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

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To develop an OPMS, we need to ask and respond to
six FUNDAMENTAL Questions on the following
Dimensions

• THINGS TO DO
• BARRIERS / DIFFICULTIES / THREATS
• STRENGTHS (Available / Required)
• WEAKNESSES
• OPPORTUNITIES (Available / Preparation required
  to utilise)
• EVENTS / MILESTONES

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So what is thisOne Page Management System? What
does it look like?
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Its a model of models, involving

• Idea Generation
• Idea Structuring

IM
? Idea Integration
OPMS
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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.
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Mission To recruit and retain talent
Mission
The System Tie-Line represents any or all of the
relationships inherent in the system under
discussion
Fundamental Dimensions of OPMS
System Tie Line
System Dimensions of OPMS
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Mission To recruit and retain talent
Contribute to
Aggravate
lead to
Enhance
Aggravate
Precede
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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
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How is OPMS different from the conventional
Project Management Software?(e.g. MSProject,
Primavera, etc)
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Mission To recruit and retain talent
Conventional ProjectManagement Software
Precede
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Hinder/Prevent Accomplishment
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Help Overcome
Help Overcome
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Using OPMS, people involved can always see the
linkages between the various dimensions of the
OPMS
A THINGS TO DO
HINDER
HELP ACCOMPLISH
B BARRIERS
HELP OVERCOME
C STRENGTHS
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more linkages
Opportunities
HELP AVAIL
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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!

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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)!
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FundamentalDimensions
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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
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System Dimensions
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Planning System

• Defines how the individual/ organisation plans
• Who is responsible for planning?
• Interaction of Planning with other Dimensions
  and Departments
• Budget

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Information Systems

• Mission 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

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Other sub-Systems as appropriate

• Production System
• Monitoring Evaluation System
• Finance and Finance Control System
• Problem Solving and Learning Systems
• Etc - whatever be the systems required - the
  people involved should create them the OPMS
  enables creation of such required sub-systems.

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Monitoring Evaluation System

• For each important element or group of elements
  in the Action Plan
• Whos responsible?
• When should it be started/completed?
• How Much ? - Budget for this item - relationship
  with total budget for Mission
• Etc - as required

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Problem Solving System Learning System

• Both 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

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Effective Learning
Effective Problem Solving
Represents contributes to"
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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/specific
  ation of problem solving in the organisation/by
  the individual

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Mission To recruit and retain talent
A complete, general system
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• Thank you!