Posted on 1 July 2004 under General

If you are responsible for creating a list of tasks that need to be done to achieve something (anything) then think about providing an ordered list of actions (a recipe) instead of just a list of things that need to be done. Seems like a very fine distinction? It is. A recipe will include infrastructure work and “planned re-work” that might otherwise be forgotten the alternative is simply a list of ingredients.

Think of it as the difference between a list of parts that make up a car versus instructions for bolting a car together. Without the instructions its tempting to believe that putting it together is simple. With the instructions, its clear that its simple(ish), but will take some time.

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