“Don’t reinvent the wheel”: The goal of organization-wide Agile practices is to create repeatable systems that automate already-known decision points in a way to expedite already-known outcomes. If the outcome of a decision is always the same, that decision process is a prime candidate for systemization, especially if that process requires a large amount of time or effort.

• CAUTION: Don’t automate things that only happen once. If they happen twice, identify and document what is common between the two occurences. When it happens a third time, then evaluate and implement any system that shows a high potential Return on Investment (ROI) for systemization. 

​There will always be a tradeoff between the benefits of automating systems and their adaptability to individual applications. The advantages of automating systems must significantly out-weigh the disadvantages of adaptation, and/or have a mechanism for customization to individual applications.

• WARNING: Beware of any hidden, people-oriented impacts of systemizations and automations. Sometimes they can dehumanize and demoralize team members which will have hidden repercussions that can introduce new, insurmountable risks. 

​Teams need to be able to operationalize (translate into quantifiable measurement) activity within the different components of their systems so that they can track Return on Investment (ROI) for chosen systemizations. If the costs (monetary, time, or people-centered) are greater than the gains, then the systemization should not be used. The more aspects of your system that can be operationalized, the better-informed any strategy will be.

• TIP: Expect a need for 10 times (10x) improvement in outcomes, and compare the amount of time needed to accomplish 10x growth. Once 10x growth is achieved, plan for the next cycle of 10x growth. The Return on Investment (ROI) is the comparison of the rate of growth against the amount of resources required to achieve 10x growth. 

  • While 10x growth is possible, a product line is considered to be in the “growth phase”. 

  • When 10x growth becomes impossible despite multiple changes in strategy, a product line enters the “maintenance phase”. 

  • When there is a long-lasting, predictable decrease in outcomes for a product line it is considered to be in its “sunset phase”. 

The use of systems is critical for the long-term sustainability of a product line. As a market category grows, so will the number of competitors. Competition usually leads to the need for the organization to accomplish greater outcomes with fewer resources. Minimizing expenses and maximizing outcomes is the goal of systemization.