Changes you would make to refine your masterpiece

Imagine your finest work — be it physical, digital. How would it look like if you had to refine it again to be better? How much further value could be added to it? In what areas would the improvement be realised?

I think it is very intriguing question for at least two reasons: first, it shows where your areas of improvement lie when it comes to pushing your boundaries and second, it helps you to wonder a bit about the area for improvement. What could be the reason you did not pay attention to it? Is it really important or not? It’s an opportunity for self-reflection from a different experience.

My personal experience was very interesting. I managed to deliver a rather comprehensive competitors’ analysis as part of a large-scale strategy formulation project. The founder of this family company could not attend; the new generation could and formally this was fine because they are in charge of the company on a daily basis. However, the founder was still very much interested and I offered to share the insights with him, too.

My first thought was that I should explain it, because it might be a bit too complex to understand at first. I was struck by this thought as it meant that I was not good enough by my own standards at explaining things on the slide. And for me, this is not a one-off occasion, this is the kind of recurring error that I tend to make. The ideas, the design elements are compelling but the messaging is difficult to follow at times.

For me the key learning was to make extra effort in telling the story in an easier-to-understand format. There you are, an area for improvement.

Do you have similar stories to share?