Small steps, Big Quality: why simple questions beat complex systems

Even working within a large technology organization, I find myself thinking in smaller units. Why? Because big anything is overwhelming—and big organizations are just collections of smaller parts that need to work well together.

This is especially true for small and medium-sized companies, where it's easier to see that quality doesn't need complexity. It needs clarity.

The Energy Trap Most Companies Fall Into

Here's the choice every company faces: You can create a quality system that consumes all your energy just to maintain it, or you can save that energy and actually get results.

Which would you choose?

Some (most?) SMEs choose the energy-draining option without realizing it. They implement elaborate procedures, extensive documentation, and complex approval processes because they think "more robust" equals "better quality."

Instead, they get exhausted teams and systems nobody actually follows.

The Two-Question Revolution

What if better quality started with just two simple questions?

1. "Could this be done simpler?"

2. "Do we have a risk here that this product will fail?"

That's it. Two questions that anyone on your team can ask about any process, any decision, any workflow.

Why This Works

These questions create what I call "quality habits"—automatic thinking patterns that prevent problems before they start. When your team habitually asks "Could this be simpler?" they naturally eliminate waste and confusion. When they ask "Do we have a risk here?" they catch issues while they're still fixable.

You don't need a quality department to ask these questions. You don't need extensive training or certification. You just need consistency.

Making It Stick

The questions can vary according to your specific goals. Maybe yours are:

• "Does this serve our customer?"

• "Is this the fastest way to get the right result?"

• "What could go wrong here?"

The power isn't in the perfect questions—it's in developing the habit of asking some quality-focused questions consistently.

If you take even one question and make it stick as a team habit, you've already secured at least one clear direction on the path to excellent quality.

The Path Forward

Systematic steps, consistent habits, and well-understood customer needs will take you further than any complex quality system ever could.

Start small. Ask better questions. Build habits that last.

The quality will follow.

What do you think? Try this two-question approach in your organization for one week or two and see what happens. I'd love to hear your results.