Variation

What is a simple definition of variation?

Variation refers to the differences or deviations from the recognized norm or standard. It may be a modification in structure, form or function in an organism, deviating from other organisms of the same species or group.

Variation exists in everything that we, as human beings, do each and every day...  from waking up in the morning to cooking our breakfast to driving to work, to what we do during the day, when we leave work, the time it takes us to drive home, and how we might spend the evening after preparing our dinner.

None of this variation ever enters our minds as being important...  and yet, this variation determines whether we are late or on time to work, how we perform our tasks during the day, and the time it takes for us to return home...  because the time will always be different in each and every one of these tasks.

Variation comes from the following factors:

1. How we perform a task
2. The materials we use to perform that task
3. The methodology we use to perform that task
4. The machines we use to perform that task
5. The temperature at which we perform that task
6. Our own mental attitude while performing that task

Let's take driving to work...  which may seem simple enough...

1. Did we leave the house at the exact same time we did the day before?  down to the minute or second?
2. Did we drive the same vehicle we drove yesterday?
3. Did we drive at the same speed we did yesterday?  For the entire route?
4. Did we take the exact same route as the day before?
5. Did we stop or coffee or gasoline?
6. Did we drive in the same traffic as the day before or was it lighter or heavier?
7. Were there any unexpected accidents in our way?
8. Was there any construction in our way?
9. When did we start counting our time we left home?  
1. When we walked out the door?
2. Got into the car?
3. Backed completely out of the driveway?
10. When did we stop counting our time when we got to work?
11. Did we use the same device to measure time each day?
12. Had that device been calibrated for accuracy.
13. Did we listen to the radio?
14. How many stop lights did we have to stop at?
15. Was that the same number of stop lights as yesterday?
16. Was the length of the stop light the same each day?
17. Did we stop on the same number of yellow lights that we did yesterday?
18. Were the same songs on the radio playing today as yesterday.

These 18 questions are the ones that I just thought up on the spur of the moment.  If I thought about this scenario a while, I am sure there would be others.  The answers to each of the questions and sub questions infuse variation into the task of driving to work.

Just the simple task of driving to work has an enormous amount of variation incorporated inside of it.

Can you imagine the variation you encounter at work?

If you could reduce the variation at work, you could increase your output.

If you could increase your output, then you have proven yourself to be a more valuable worker than someone else.

Achieving outcomes at work is the name of the game.

The more you achieve the more valuable you are.

Achieving more at work gives you the competitive advantage over fellow workers...

Think about this for a while...  let it simmer inside your head because it is a way to increase your overall productivity, your overall wealth, your pay increases, and how long the company decides to keep you employed.