Objective Criteria

When is a paper ready for review?

When is a poster ready for the printer?

How should you decide knowledge work is done?

Frequently, it is subjective or extrinsic. It looks done or it is due (more often overdue). I strive for the higher standard of objective criteria. My work on a daily basis has objective criteria (e.g., I will not get another cup of coffee until I put 500 more words into Scrivener). It is harder, but important, to have measurable, therefore manageable, criteria at the project level.

One of my favorite is "Running The Stack." For every project, I have a stack of index cards. The stack includes defined outcomes, all currently-known steps for the outcomes, and a someday/maybe list for the project. "Running The Stack" is an out-loud reading of a project's index cards. It is a mental sluicing, looking for the golden ideas in the dross. If I can "run the stack" without generating any novel, actionable ideas, I know that when all the current index cards are crumpled in the trashcan I'm done with the project.

Footnote: It is allowed to move an index card to the stack of another project to clear the stack of the current project.