Measure Twice, Cut Once: True in most areas

 

     In spite of having young adults in the house, I don't really know much about what language is presently active. But, for me, the phrase "measure twice, cut once" was an important phrase, and lesson, within my household.

     Of course, it directly applies to building things -- specifically cutting lumber. If you cut a piece of lumber to 11 1/8 inches and you were SUPPOSED to have cut it to 11 7/8 inches then you have just wasted a good sized length of lumber (if vice verse, then you have the situation where you now have to cut 3/4 inch off a board -- that's not much fun either). It could have been even worse -- off by inches (or centimeters for the metric world). If it gets bad enough then you may end up with lengths of board that can be used for other purposes. The point is, it is really best if you cut the board the correct length. You do that by verifying the length you need. Measure more than once, make sure you write it down (or remember it) clearly and then cut it the indicated length.

     This applies to many other areas of life. How many times have you wanted to retract something you just said (or a message you just sent)? Recognizing this situation, tools have started putting in automatic delays to allow you to "take it back" when you have just sent something. But it is much better to make certain that you want to say something BEFORE you say it. Think it over (and read it over -- making sure that "autocorrect" has not changed anything critical). Consider how it could be interpreted -- what you mean to say is not always what many people will hear. Consider privacy issues. If this message was intercepted, or heard, or even ended up in subpoenaed information, does it say what you want it to and is it something you want people, other than those addressed, to hear in this manner?

     The principal applies to working with programs. I am presently learning a language (Español) using the Duolingo application. I am often working "under deadline" when I have bonus points available during a timed interval. I try to hurry and -- oops -- I hit the "Check" button when I really wanted to hit the backspace, or delete, key. (I do this on my iPad.) There goes my 100% for the exercise.

     It also applies to products. Check, test, check again, test again. Have acceptance criteria and follow them -- enhance when something slips through. For physical products, never have anything head out the door unless at least a good sampling has been checked (and check that sample twice).  Quality problems are expensive, embarrassing, and hurt reputations (which are easy to destroy and hard to build). 

     Double measuring is the antithesis of hurrying. There are other clichés and phrases about hurrying but they usually amount to the same thing. It is a lot harder (often impossible) to undo something, or make amends for something, or clean up a mess than it is to not make the error in the first place. But most of us will find ourselves in situations where we act before we think. In such cases, take a deep breath and ponder the reality "no one is perfect".

     Then try to clean up the mess.