Subtraction seems to be a theme in the business world, at least of those who write books and make podcasts.
I am part way through reading The Friction Project, which I am enjoying. it’s all about making more friction for things you want people to reflect on, and less friction for the things that should be smooth.
And this week Eric Barker’s blog has a Less is More theme on subtracting. I liked this story:
In one medical textbook, the mere summary for the safety guidelines on inserting central catheters stretches to 35 pages. Thorough? Yes. Efficient or effective? Um… no. So finally someone was smart enough to cut the “summary” down to: “wash hands with soap; clean the patient’s skin with antiseptic; put sterile drapes over the entire patient; wear a sterile mask, hat, gown, and gloves; and, put a sterile dressing over the catheter site.”
And that has almost eliminated catheter infections at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, saving thousands of lives.
Eric Barker, Barking up the wrong tree blog
