Finding the problem underneath the problem.
Joi C. Jenkins
I separate what a system actually needs from the way it's currently being done—then figure out what should change.
What's the Requirement?
What actually needs to happen?↓What's happening now?↓How are we making it work today?↓Where does it break down?↓Why is it happening?↓What would work better?↓How will we know?
I Have Built.
From Paper Files to Findable InformationSt. Jude's Recovery CenterThe problem...Hundreds of client files lived in a shared records room. Staff across departments pulled and returned files without a consistent system, making specific client information difficult to locate when it was needed.The requirement...Make current and recently exited client information easier to find without attempting to rebuild the entire paper records system.The solution...NEED → SCOPE → RULE → DATA QUALITY → RETRIEVAL → LIFECYCLEI taught myself Microsoft Access and created a digital retrieval system using Excel and Access.Excel provided quick, surface-level client information. Linked Access records provided deeper client information and multiple pages of notes.I scoped the system to current clients and those who had exited within the previous six months. Because exit dates determined which records belonged in the system, those dates had to be accurate.After the six-month window, the client's information returned to the established paper-file cycle.The database was the solution—not the requirement.
I Analyze.
When Counting Isn't ControlIndependent Process AnalysisInventory is counted regularly.High-use ingredients are counted daily. Supplies are counted on a recurring schedule. Low inventory is reported.And the operation still runs out of things.So the problem isn't simply:“We need better inventory tracking.”The inventory is already being tracked.What's the requirement?Inventory information needs to trigger replenishment early enough to prevent avoidable shortages.Where does it break down?COUNT → REPORT → ? → REPLENISHA count identifies what exists.A report communicates that information.But neither guarantees action.Without a defined point at which a low count requires a specific response, “almost out” is information—not a control.What does that cost?A shortage can create another shortage.When one regularly used supply became unavailable, another supply was used as a temporary workaround. That increased consumption of the substitute—and contributed to its depletion.One inventory failure had moved downstream.What would work better?COUNT → THRESHOLD → ACTION → OWNER → CONFIRMATIONDefine when a count requires action, what action it requires, who owns that action, and how the people relying on the inventory know replenishment is underway.How will we know?Recommended measures: stockout frequency · threshold-to-order time · emergency substitutions · secondary shortages · replenishment lead timeTracking inventory tells you what you have. A control determines what happens next.
Background.
My experience spans archives, records management, quality control, information services, education, and day-to-day business operations.Different environments. Same instinct:Figure out what needs to happen, understand what's getting in the way, and build a better way through it.Let's Talk.