My Next Book: Datum-Driven Lean… and one More Future Release [April Fool]

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After the paperback launch of my book Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More, many of you have asked, “What are you writing next?” No really, some of you have asked this. I've given this a lot of thought and I'd like your input.

The book is selling well and I love hearing people's stories about how the book is helpful to them. However, some of you have emailed and asked, “What can I read instead of Measures of Success?” OK, fair enough, it's not for everyone… although I think it's a method that everyone can use.

I've heard some potential readers question the premise of MoS by asking, “You want me to get off of the metrics roller coaster? I loooove the roller coaster. I have a season's pass!” Why miss out on the thrills and the excitement of the proverbial management roller coaster?


The “Process Behavior Charts” that I write about in Measures of Success strike some as too complicated. Instead of arguing that point with them, I thought I'd go all in on a book that teaches methods that do NOT require many data points.

Many organizations aim to be “data driven” but they can have trouble finding two data points at times.

Two data points are not a trend… but ONE can be powerful if it's used the right way.

Datum-Driven Lean

So, it's time for what I call “Datum-Driven Lean — using single data points to accelerate our Lean journey.

I'll be writing this book again through Leanpub.com, to start, and “in-progress” material will be made available pretty soon.

Datum-Drive Lean: Harnessing the Power of the Data Point

Here is the page where you can sign up to get more info and be notified when the first chapters are available, or click below:


The book will teach you how to “harness the power of the data point.”

React more. It's OK. That's the subtitle and the theme of the book. Reacting to that data point… what could it hurt?

That data point is worse than average? Tell someone to start an A3. I know that feels good.

The latest data point is worse than the month before? Yeah, looking for a root cause is probably a good use of time. Go for it!

Oh, you say that data point is also better than the same month last year? Maybe we need an emoji on the metrics board for that?

Who needs charts and math? Embrace the data point! By the time you're done being happy or upset about this one — you'll have another.

Datum-Driven Lean is sort of like the zen approach to leadership… taking things one datum at a time. Datum, datum, datum… there's no need to turn those into data. Context be damned!

Management by Emoji

The next project will be a full book on the “Management by Emoji” method that I introduced in Measures of Success. Oh, you thought I was gently mocking that emoji method? Nah, let's just run with it. It's a popular method for a reason, I guess. I think there are books to be sold.

Management by Emoji: The Unassailable Laws of Emotion-Driven Management

Emoji is a Japanese-sounding word, which will give this method and the book a mystique that will certainly help sales.

My friend Dan Markovitz is already an advanced practitioner of this method, with this visual management board he created for a daily metric. Wait, he emailed me and said he was poking fun at this method… I guess he won't be buying my Management by Emoji book.


There you have it — the book for those who love the ups and downs of the metrics rollercoaster! Whatever works for you… I hope to have a book that meets that need!

Check out my follow up book:

Do you enjoy the 2 Second Lean-style tweets from Paul Akers, but prefer to avoid his political tweets and retweets?

Now, you can follow @APolAkers — Apolitical Paul Akers. All of the Lean and Lean-ish stuff and none of the Trump-ish. I prefer a politics-free Twitter experience, regardless of the party or view…


If you want nothing but his politics, without the Lean, follow @PolAkers. If you'd prefer Paul Akers-style Lean with a heavy dose of ANTI-Trump tweets, you can follow @LiberalPaulAkers. Again, there's something for everybody!


Happy April Fool's Day! Check out previous April Fool's Day fun.


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Mark Graban
Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker, and podcaster with experience in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. Mark's new book is The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation. He is also the author of Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More, the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, and the anthology Practicing Lean. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.

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