A strategy for completing projects by reducing their size
Core Idea: Dial Down the Scope is a technique for making projects more manageable by intentionally reducing their size and complexity, focusing on delivering the core value with minimal features.
Key Elements
Core Principle
- Most projects can be reduced in scope while still delivering significant value
- The constraint is rarely time; it's usually the scope we've defined
- There's always a smaller, simpler version that delivers much of the value
Implementation Process
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Identify core value
- Determine what's truly essential about the project
- Identify which parts deliver the most impact
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Eliminate non-essential components
- Drop, reduce, or postpone less important parts
- Focus only on what's needed for the next iteration
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Save removed elements
- Store postponed ideas in your Second Brain
- Preserve cut material for potential future use
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Ship small and concrete deliverables
- Create the smallest viable version to collect feedback
- Release early and iterate based on response
Benefits
- Overcomes perfectionism by focusing on shipping rather than perfecting
- Generates feedback that guides future development
- Builds momentum through completed work
- Breaks chicken-and-egg problem of creativity by putting something concrete into the world
Practical Application
- Set a timer (15-20 minutes) and complete a first pass using only notes you've already gathered
- Resist the urge to do more research
- Ask: "What is the smallest version I can produce to get useful feedback?"
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Convergence (essential technique for the convergent phase)
- Applications: Project Checklists (incorporate scope reduction in project planning)
- See Also: Intermediate Packets (breaking work into smaller units)
References
- Forte, Tiago. "Building a Second Brain"
#productivity #project-management #minimalism #iteration
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