Safe to fail experiments

Problem Statement

• When learning new skills, a significant part of the process may not yield immediate or desired results.
• We are hardwired to avoid failure, which, while crucial for survival, hinders trying new things.

Intent

Create an environment where experimenting with new ideas or practising skills becomes less intimidating. This fosters faster and less stressful learning, potentially adding an element of enjoyment.

Solution

• Reframe your goal to focus on gathering knowledge rather than “making something work.”
  • Form hypotheses and try to prove theories.
  • Have multiple approaches to a problem to embrace the experimentation mindset.
  • Inform stakeholders about your intent to experiment.
• Set up small-scale experiments to test ideas.
• Hold yourself accountable by investing effort based on learning goals.
• Isolate experimentation from regular work to lower the stakes of your learning efforts.
• Pass on what you have learned: Share your findings, even if the experiment doesn’t meet expectations, to facilitate learning and prevent others from making the same mistakes.¹

Contextual forces

Enablers

The following factors support effective application of the practice:

• Your learning goals are clear and motivating.
• Your environment values gaining and sharing knowledge.
• You are in a safe environment where failure is not punished.
• You can apply results from learning experiments to your work.
• You can break down learning goals into small, achievable steps.

Deterrents

The following factors prevent effective application of the practice:

• Lack of interest in learning new things.
• Environment devalues learning or is unwilling to invest in it.
• Presence of an expert in the subject you’re trying to learn.²
• Environment prioritizes optics over results, punishing failure.

Application

By applying these strategies, you can maximize the benefits of experimentation while minimizing the potential downsides, making the process a valuable part of your learning and development toolkit.

Consequences

While the experimentation approach offers numerous benefits, it can also lead to several potential challenges or unintended outcomes:

• Lack of Immediate Results: Experimenting often means that you won’t see immediate success. This can be frustrating, especially if you or your stakeholders expect quick wins. The process of trial and error can be time-consuming and may not always align with pressing deadlines or immediate needs.
• Increased Resource Consumption: Conducting experiments, especially in a professional setting, can require additional time, resources, and effort. If not managed properly, this could lead to a strain on resources that might be needed elsewhere.
• Risk of Spreading Too Thin: Experimenting with multiple approaches simultaneously might lead to a dilution of focus. If too many experiments are run at once, it might become challenging to manage and analyze each one effectively, leading to superficial results rather than deep insights.
• Potential Misalignment with Organizational Goals: If the experimental approach is not communicated and aligned with the broader organizational goals, it could be seen as a distraction from core tasks. This could lead to misunderstandings or a perception that you are not contributing to the primary objectives.
• Psychological Impact of Repeated Failures: Even with a mindset shift, repeated failures can take a toll on morale. If experiments continually yield unsatisfactory results, it may lead to discouragement or a loss of motivation.

Mitigation strategies

To mitigate the potential negative consequences of the experimentation approach, consider the following strategies:

• Set Clear Expectations: Ensure that both you and your stakeholders understand that the goal of experimentation is learning, not necessarily immediate success. Clearly communicate the potential long-term benefits of the knowledge gained through this process.
• Resource Planning: Before starting experiments, assess the resources required and ensure that they are allocated effectively. Avoid overcommitting to too many experiments at once, and prioritize those with the highest potential for impactful learning.
• Focus on Key Experiments: While it’s beneficial to try multiple approaches, maintain a manageable number of experiments at any given time. This allows for deeper focus and more thorough analysis of each experiment’s outcomes.
• Align Experiments with Organizational Goals: Make sure that your experiments are aligned with the overall objectives of your team or organization. This alignment will help ensure that the knowledge gained is relevant and can be applied to future projects or strategies.
• Balance Experimentation with Proven Approaches: While experimentation is important, it should not completely replace tried-and-tested methods. Use a mix of experimentation and established techniques to maintain productivity and morale.
• Support Mental Resilience: Prepare yourself and your team for the possibility of failure by promoting a culture that values learning from mistakes. Encourage open discussions about what went wrong and how those insights can inform future efforts.

Examples

Trying a Novel Framework

Situation: You have learned of a novel framework or technology that you would like to try out. You are not sure if it will be useful for your current project, but you are interested in learning more about it.

• You set up a small project, and try to implement a small – non-critical – feature using the new technology.
• You document your findings (both advantages and disadvantages), and share them with your team.
• You park your small feature, discuss your recommendations with your team, and move on with your work.

Possible outcome: You decide to not use the new technology for your current project, but you (and your colleagues) have learned something new.