“Before you fix anything, figure out what’s actually broken.”
Let’s be honest, most people skip this step.
They see chaos, roll up their sleeves, and start fixing stuff. In some cases it’s the way to go, because of a lack of time. But that’s how you end up with automated chaos, standardized nonsense, or simplified confusion.
Analyze is the phase where you stop pretending everything’s fine.
It’s not glamorous, tt’s not fast, I know… But it’s needed.
What “Analyze” Really Means
It’s not about writing a 60-page audit report or hiring a consultant to produce 14 PowerPoints full of arrows and circles. If you like that, go talk to the Big 4.
It’s more about understanding where you are and why it hurts.
Ask questions like:
- “What’s slowing us down?”
- “Where do things get stuck or duplicated?”
- “Who’s frustrated, and why?”
- “What happens if one person takes a vacation? Does everything stop?”
And the golden one:
“What outcome are we chasing, and does our process even aim at that anymore?”
How to Do It Without Dying of Boredom
- Follow the work.
Sit next to the people who actually do the thing. Don’t only talk to managers. Watch the clicks, the spreadsheets, the handovers. - Ask “Why?” until people roll their eyes.
“Why do we do it that way?”
“Because we always have.”
Bingo. That’s your gold. - Map the flow.
Use paper, Miro, toilet walls, whatever. The point isn’t a pretty diagram, it’s seeing how many steps exist between A and B and which ones make zero sense. - Spot the pain points.
Look for moments where people copy data, re-enter stuff, wait for approval, or just sigh deeply. Those are your hotspots.
Don’t forget one thing, companies are layered like onions, even the smaller ones. Every layer has its own reality.
Why It Matters
Skipping analysis is like prescribing medicine before checking what disease you have.
You might look like a hero short term, but you’ll pay for it later with confusion, resentment, and expensive “re-fixes.”
Good analysis gives you:
- A shared understanding of reality
- Buy-in from people who finally feel heard
- A clear map for where to simplify next
How You Know You’re Done
You’re not done when your diagram looks nice, that might be too easy.
You’re done when you present your analysis and where everyone nods and says:
“Yes. That’s exactly how it works, especially the stupid parts.” (although it doesn’t happen very often people admit this)
That’s your green light to move to Step 2: Simplify.
Final Thought
Think of this step as the “therapy session” of your process.
It’s where everyone finally admits what’s wrong and why they’re tired.
Once you’ve got that honesty, fixing things becomes ten times easier, and people will actually thank you for it.
Be their confident, don’t judge. Most of the times decisions made weren’t theirs.
Analyzing isn’t about being critical, it’s about being honest; clarity is the first real act of leadership.
Next step: ASOSA Step 2 – Simplify
Or read the full overview: The ASOSA Methodology