Thinking Different... Actually

A revolutionary approach to work.

We began by identifying key challenges in existing methodologies and systems. From these insights, we established a set of guiding principles to direct our development process.

Guiding Principals

1. Instructions must be embedded into the process.

2. Team conversations must be in context of what you are doing.

3. Reveal the difference between duration and time-effort.

4. Report as you navigate.

5. Eliminate excuses with clear accountability.

6. Have a rapid feedback loop.

7. The process must be linear.

8. Clients must have visibility into the process.

9. Don’t compromise simplicity.

10. API first approach at the core.

1. Instructions Must Be Embedded into the Process

One of the most critical aspects of the Steps system is ensuring that team members have all the information they need at their fingertips. Embedding instructions directly into the workflow ensures that users are guided through the process without the need to switch between different documents, platforms, or screens. When instructions are embedded within each step, it minimizes confusion, prevents mistakes, and saves time.

This principle was built into STEPS to make the execution of tasks smoother and more efficient. By integrating clear, easy-to-follow instructions into the relevant phases of a project, team members don’t have to ask for clarification or hunt for details. It also reduces the learning curve for new users, as the software becomes self-explanatory. Embedding instructions ensures that everyone knows exactly what needs to be done at each stage, allowing the team to move forward confidently and efficiently.

2. Team Conversations Must Be in Context of What You Are Doing

Team collaboration is essential, but scattered conversations can lead to confusion, missed information, and inefficiency. Conversations need to be in the context of the tasks and phases the team is currently working on. This principle ensures that discussions are focused, relevant, and tied directly to the specific tasks or phases they relate to.

In STEPS, conversations are linked to project milestones and tasks, ensuring that team members are discussing only what’s relevant at any given time. This contextual focus eliminates distractions from unrelated topics and ensures that everyone is aligned on the objectives of the current phase. Not only does this keep the team on track, but it also helps when auditing the project later, as all discussions are tied to specific tasks or decisions.

3. Reveal the Difference Between Duration and Time-Effort

A common misunderstanding in project management is confusing the overall duration of a task with the time-effort required to complete it. Duration refers to how long a task spans from start to finish, while time-effort is the actual amount of work invested. For example, a task might take five days to complete, but only require 10 hours of actual work spread across those days.

STEPS highlights the difference between these two concepts, enabling project managers to more accurately track the true investment of resources. By differentiating duration and time-effort, the software allows for better planning and resource allocation, ensuring that workloads are balanced and deadlines are realistic. This clarity helps teams avoid underestimating how long tasks will take and prevents burnout from over-committing team members.

4. Report as You Navigate

In traditional project management systems, reports are often generated after significant milestones or at the end of a project. However, real-time reporting is crucial for identifying issues and making adjustments along the way. The principle of “report as you navigate” emphasizes the importance of continuous, in-the-moment reporting.

STEPS integrates real-time reporting features that allow project managers to generate insights as the project progresses. This enables teams to spot bottlenecks, identify successes, and make informed decisions on the fly. It also reduces the amount of time spent compiling reports, as the data is collected and displayed automatically as the project moves forward.

5. Eliminate Excuses with Clear Accountability

In any team project, accountability is essential. Without clear accountability, tasks can be delayed, miscommunication can occur, and objectives can be missed. STEPS is designed to ensure that every task is assigned to a specific individual, leaving no room for ambiguity.

By providing a clear assignment of responsibilities and tracking task progress in real time, STEPS eliminates excuses. Everyone knows who is responsible for what, and project managers can easily see who is meeting deadlines and who might need assistance. This transparency promotes accountability and ensures that tasks are completed on time.

6. Have a Rapid Feedback Loop

A feedback loop is essential for continuous improvement and course correction. In any organization, enabling staff to quickly suggest improvements directly to project managers and general management quickly optimizes any processes.  

STEPS enables this feedback, allowing teams to address issues promptly, and make adjustments in real time.   By ensuring that feedback is both swift and actionable, the platform fosters open communication, empowering team members to contribute to process improvements. This dynamic exchange helps maintain project momentum and drives better outcomes for the entire organization.

7. The Process Must Be Linear

While flexibility is important, a project management system should provide a clear, linear progression of tasks to ensure teams don’t lose sight of what comes next. Linear workflows help prevent bottlenecks, ensure tasks are completed in the correct order, and provide clarity on the overall direction of the project.

STEPS emphasizes a linear workflow where each phase naturally progresses into the next. This helps reduce confusion, prevents overlapping responsibilities, and keeps everyone aligned with the project’s overall goals. While adjustments can be made when necessary, having a clear, linear process ensures that teams remain focused on the right objectives.

8. Clients Must Have Visibility into the Process

Client satisfaction often depends on transparency. Clients want to know how a project is progressing, where potential roadblocks might arise, and when they can expect deliverables. STEPS includes client-facing dashboards that provide visibility into the project’s status without overwhelming clients with unnecessary details.

This transparency helps build trust between the project team and the client, as clients can see real-time progress and understand how their project is unfolding. It also minimizes the need for constant status updates, as clients can monitor the project on their own.

9. Don’t Compromise Simplicity

Simplicity is often sacrificed for advanced features, but complex systems can slow teams down and create unnecessary barriers. One of the core principles behind STEPS is maintaining simplicity without sacrificing functionality.

The user interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, ensuring that even non-technical users can easily manage projects. By focusing on simplicity, STEPS ensures that teams can spend more time working on the project itself and less time trying to figure out how to use the software.

10. API-First Approach at the Core

In today’s digital landscape, integration is key. STEPS was built with an API-first approach, meaning that the software is designed to easily integrate with other tools and platforms. This makes it adaptable to different workflows and ensures that teams can continue using their existing systems without disruption.

The API-first approach allows STEPS to grow and evolve with a company’s needs, integrating with third-party applications and scaling as the project requires. This flexibility ensures that STEPS can be customized to fit a wide range of project management needs.