The 1:10:100 rule states that it costs exponentially more to identify and correct errors the longer it takes to find them.

It costs $1 to make sure it’s done right the first time; it costs $10 to fix it after the fact and it costs $100 if you do nothing.

In my project work, I find that doing something right the first time can feel tedious. It’s cumbersome to check and recheck and check again to see if I got it right when all I really want to do is move ahead and see it in action. But, the more time I spend upfront, the cheaper the work is. This is called the cost of prevention.

Discovering the errors I’ve made and then stopping work to fix them after the fact is annoying and feels time consuming. It’s also a blow to my ego to recognize the errors I’ve made, admit to them and fix them. All of this contributes to me feeling bad about my initial work and losing productivity while I lick my proverbial wounds. This is called the cost of correction.

Getting to the end of my project to discover that the work I’ve accomplished doesn't deliver its intended value due to an error that I didn’t notice or slowdown to analyze along the way is DEVASTATING. It’s what can get me fired and not likely to be hired again. Worst of all, it means I’m the f-word:  F-A-I-L-U-R-E. This is the cost of failure.

I’ve been guilty of paying every one of these costs. My ego barely survived the cost of failure. After experiencing the failure cost just once, I’ve been chicken to even try again but. . .I am happy to report that this has been the greatest motivation for me to take my time to get things right in the beginning. Whether it's being cautious in my planning or asking for more help right up front, I have learned to avoid the cost of failure altogether. Not because I am perfect but because I know the overall cost to my ego and my project is least when spent upfront. 

My take home from the 1-10-100 rule? Take your time to get things right and, when you’re wrong, learn from it, make change and remember nobody is perfect and prevention is key!

Amber (a.k.a. The Feisty PM)