Organizations are complex systems. Decisions in one part of the organization affect the whole, but often that connection is not immediately apparent. This is exactly why Obeya is so powerful: it helps teams structure the complexity of their organization visually and systematically.
But how do you make sure you include everything without drowning in details? And how do you make sure you don’t have crucial blind spots? This is where two key methodologies come together:
- MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) – A way to structure information so that everything is included without overlap.
- Strategic Capabilities – The core building blocks of your organization that determine whether you are successful.
Together, these concepts provide you with a complete and logically built system view in your Obeya. In this article you will discover how and why this combination is essential.
Why you need to make your whole system visible
In complex organizations, everything works together. But how often do we make decisions without really seeing the impact on the bigger picture?
Imagine a company notices that customer satisfaction is dropping. What’s causing it?
- Poorer service?
- A problem in delivery?
- An unclear product offering?
- Financial constraints?
The problem is that we often only look at part of the system rather than the whole picture. Obeya helps with this by visualizing everything in context. But that can only work well if we properly structure the information.
That’s where MECE and Strategic Capabilities come in.
MECE: Structuring complexity
The Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive (MECE) principle ensures that you classify information without overlap and without gaps.
- Mutually Exclusive (ME): No overlap between categories.
- Collectively Exhaustive (CE): Everything falls within one of the categories, so there are no blind spots.
Example: Suppose you are investigating the causes of declining sales.
- A non-MECE classification: Marketing, Sales, Customer Satisfaction, Pricing, Online Strategy. (There is overlap and gaps here).
- A MECE format: External market changes, Customer behavior, Internal operational efficiency, Product offering, Finance. (clearly defined and complete)
By applying MECE in your Obeya, you ensure that information is clearly organized and that you don’t have duplicate or missing insights.
Why MECE and Strategic Capabilities are indispensable in your Obeya
MECE helps you create a structured and complete overview.
- You avoid missing important information.
- You avoid overlap, keeping discussions in the Obeya sharp.
- You can quickly recognize patterns and make connections.
Strategic Capabilities ensure that you are looking at the right things.
- You always have visibility into the core building blocks of your organization.
- You avoid focusing too much on just one component and overlooking the rest.
- You make impactful improvements because you are working on the fundamental pillars of success.
Conclusion
Obeya without these principles = a collection of loose information that is difficult to connect.
Obeya with MECE & Strategic Capabilities = a logical and complete system view that allows you to make informed decisions.
Sources:
- System Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity – J. Gharajedaghi (2009)
- The Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing and Thinking – Barbara Minto (2009)
- Fundamentals of Strategy – Gerry Johnson, Kevan Scholes & Richard Whittington (2009)