Use Data, Not Gut Feel: 'I Don't Want You to Talk Shit'
"I don't want you to talk shit. I want you to use the data."
That was Michael Bonney's instruction between simulation rounds. The teams had just finished Round 1. Zero deliveries. Lots of opinions about what went wrong. Everyone wanted to make changes based on how they felt.
Michael stopped them: "Use the data. Time each station. Compare to the takt. Prove your changes before you make them."
What Happened Next
The teams timed every station with a stopwatch. Wrote it on the whiteboard. Compared it to the 50-second customer demand (takt time). And immediately, the bottleneck was obvious. The solution was obvious. The data made the decision — not the loudest voice in the room.
Data-Driven Improvement
This is how improvement should work in your building business:
- Measure before you change
- Compare to a target
- Make the data visual — write it where everyone can see
- Let the numbers make the case
Gut Feel vs Data
Most builders make changes based on frustration. The best ones make changes based on data. Are you measuring before you change — or just reacting to the loudest complaint?
About the Author
Luke Davies
Luke is the founder of Davies Design & Construction and author of Dream Home. He writes about home design philosophy, lean construction, and building businesses that put people first.
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