Growing up, researching meant meticulous work in the library, verifying facts to ensure accuracy. Today, information is at our fingertips, but the ease of access brings its own trap: ‘good enough’ information is often more opinion than fact. So, what does ‘good enough’ really mean? More importantly, good enough for what?
In many cases, ‘good enough’ means just meeting basic expectations. Take my daughter’s school project. She was supposed to measure battery life, but missed tracking the data. So, she made up some numbers, wrote the report, and still got an A. Here, ‘good enough’ wasn’t about accuracy but simply finishing the assignment.
When projects become more complex, the meaning of ‘good enough’ changes. For high-stakes scenarios—like vehicle safety, medical devices, or power plants—accuracy is paramount. Here, even small errors can lead to significant consequences. ‘Good enough’ is no longer adequate; only perfect is good enough.
Reaching ‘perfect’ takes time, skill, and dedication. It means:
- Detailed requirements
- Rigorous validation
- Coordinated, experienced teamwork
- A solid plan to ensure nothing is overlooked
In critical work, ‘good enough’ isn’t enough. Only perfect will do.
The IBM Engineering Tools can help with perfect - take a look at what they do: Engineering Lifecycle Management