From the Ask Tom mailbag:
Question:
Tell me more about Time Span. You have mentioned this several times since I’ve been reading your blog, but I do not think I have a clear understanding of what you mean. Give me some details behind the thinking.
Response:
Time Span is the central theme behind an extensive body of research conducted over a period of 50 years by Elliott Jaques. Time Span, as a concept, can be used to understand and measure several elements related to the complexity of a task, complexity of a role and the capability of a person. It has implications for the company org chart, reporting protocols and hiring criteria.
Time Span is defined as “the length of time that a person can work, into the future, without direction, using their own discretionary judgment.”
The Time Span of a delegated task would be the length of elapsed time between the task handoff meeting and the completion of the task. Time Span is used to precisely measure the complexity of any task. The complexity of a task is created by the uncertainty of its elements and its outcome.
The shorter the Time Span, the more certain are its elements and its outcome. The longer the Time Span, the less certain are its elements and its outcome. Time Span becomes the measuring stick.
Now, I am absolutely certain that I have created many more questions. -TF
Yes you have. In today’s blog, it seemed that Time Span was a measurement of an individual’s management skill. Management of tasks and projects not people. This definition speaks more to the complexity of a single task.
Is the relation the time span between handoff to the individual and their request for more information or help?
Time Span is used to measure the complexity of the task. But it can also be used to measure whether a person is an appropriate pick for the delegated task. Keep reading this week, we will go deeper.