Optimal unit of work size = Smallest unit of work needed to get a unit of learning.

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By Duncan Anderson. To see all blogs click here.

Reading time: 4 mins

Summary: “Progress solves all known problems.” Learning is the key lead indicator to progress (either a learning of what to do, or a learning of what not to do). As such, the optimal size for a unit of work = The smallest unit of work needed to get a unit of learning. 

  • Jingle: If you want to move fast, don’t ‘move fast and break things’, break work into the smallest unit size you can to get a unit of learning. 


Figuring out what to do Vs You already know what to do

  • This is an over simplification but let’s assume there are only two types of work: 

    • Type 1: Figuring out what to do => Optimal unit of work size = Smallest unit of work needed to get a unit of learning.

    • Type 2: You already know what to do => Optimal unit of work size = That which optimises output. Eg you might do much larger units of work, or do heaps of ‘inventory building’ as an optimal way to work well with the rest of the team. 

  • This blog is addressing ‘Type 1: Figuring out what to do’ work. 


It’s not about velocity, it’s about vector

  • “If you are pointed in the wrong direction, it doesn’t matter how fast you are going, you are not making progress. If you are pointed in the right direction, it doesn’t matter how slow you are going, you are making progress.” Sam Altman 

  • Done well

  • A unit of learning allows you to update the ‘direction’ you are heading to be ‘less wrong’.

  • If you are doing something you haven’t done before (figuring out what to do) then you don't know what the solution is (end is), figuring this out in the shortest time possible is the name of the game! 

  • Done poorly

If time is the total ‘length’ of the vectors here, then you might have taken 3x as long to figure out a sufficient+ solution.



Recommendations of things to avoid: ‘Unit of learning = 1. Unit of exploration + 2. Unit of synthesis’. 

  • 1. Unit of exploration

    • Unit of work is way too big = Could have gotten a unit of learning in 25% the time and updated ‘course’. 

    • Unit of work is too small = Didn’t do enough exploration to have the data points needed for a unit of synehtesis. 

      • I rarely see this / do this. 90% of the time I spend too long / see others spending too long. 

  • 2. Unit of synthesis’

    • There can be under investment in the ‘2. Unit of synthesis’. Lots of exploration is done but you need to synthesise it! See “Synthesizers, not summarizers: Move the game forward, don’t just say something.”

    • There is ‘Analysis paralysis’ in the ‘2. Unit of synthesis’ where people can get stuck. 

      • If you are stuck synthesising, ask for help! A new perspective is often all it takes. 

      • One strategy for synthesising well is to write a ‘One Sentence Summary’. 

    • Excess time spent on synthesis. All you need is a unit of learning that unlocks the next unit of work to be done. 

      • I find that sometimes people think they can solve things after one unit of work. This can happen for a small problem. 

        • However, a medium might require 2-5 units of work to get to a sufficient+ solution. 

        • A large might be 6-10 units of work. 

        • And an extra large 11+ units of work. 

      • Don’t worry about solving everything in one unit of work. Worry about each unit of work leading you to be ‘less wrong’ or closer to a sufficient solution. 



If you only take away one thing

  • I think work should be broken down into the smallest unit of work to get a unit of learning. 

  • Maximising units of learning => Maximising progress… and progress solves all known problems. 

  • Minimum cycle time for a unit of learning = Maximum amount of learning

    • This in some respect is ‘lean methodology’, or ‘Build minimum viable product, measure, learn’ and repeat. 

  • Truth: This refers to the correspondence between our beliefs and the way the world actually is. A belief is true if it accurately describes the world. 

    • Beliefs ≠ Truths.

    • Beliefs = Hypotheses

    • Once you have a hypothesis set out to do a unit of work to gather info about if your hypothesis is correct, or more likely how wrong it is. After you have done the unit of investigation, do a unit of synthesis, update hypothesis and go again. 

    • Normally my line of sufficiency is looking for 80%+ reflection of reality! You can’t know everything and you have to stop somewhere!