I've been using the words "Bumpy" and "Smooth" to describe a lot of functions, processes, plays, capabilities, lately.

And sometimes, when I say things like "I get what you are trying to do here, but this feels very bumpy to me", I sometimes get some weird looks.

You've all likely heard the mantra "Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast", popularised by the Navy Seals and or other SPECOPS groups.

Well this is essentially that. Smooth ways of operating, processes, functions etc, are ones that are consistent, well understood and as a by product of that, produce quality results at speed.

Notice I said as a by product. I roll my eyes every time I hear software engineering leaders who chant on about Agility, and Speed. Those are things you get, when you go well. And to do well, you need Smooth Operations .. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TYv2PhG89A

On the other side of the coin, bumpy operations, processes, functions etc are those where results are variable, quality is not a focus and the general mental models and understanding of the people performing them is not aligned.

Bumpy eats up resources, it slows people down, it leads to mistakes that need to be addressed reactively, causing yet more Bumpiness.

If you want to go fast? Go Well. Go Smooth. Invest in consistency, documentation, shared understandings, metrics.

On top of that, automating Bumpy things is hard. Automating Smooth things is easier, and automation itself brings a new level of Smooth. A new level of Fast. A new level of Going Well.

Oh yeah, and applying #AI to Bumpy things leads to much sorrow.

#infosec #smoothisfast #bumpyisslow

Sade - Smooth Operator - Official - 1984

Sade – Smooth OperatorDirector - Julien Temple - September 1984 The official YouTube channel for the British iconic band Sade www.sade.comSade (vocals) Stuar...

^YouTube