The STEPS Framework: A Strategic Path from Idea to Impact
After my recent talk at the Google Cloud Summit on our journey adopting Analytics Hub in a large organisation, I started thinking about how to put more structure around the stages that led us from idea to large-scale success. Out of this reflection came the STEPS™ Framework—a straightforward approach that captures the key phases of progress, helping teams navigate complex initiatives with purpose. Though it emerged from our experience with Analytics Hub, this framework can be applied across product development, migration projects, and the adoption of new tools or processes.
The STEPS Framework provides a strategic path from an initial spark of an idea to scaling and making a tangible impact. Each step is designed to mitigate risks, optimise resources, and maximise potential for success. Let’s explore what these stages look like.
The STEPS Framework: Key Stages
Spark: Every successful project begins with a spark—a new idea or insight that excites the team. This stage is all about fostering creativity and brainstorming, often through dedicated R&D time spent reading, learning, and thinking outside the box. Without this time to explore, innovation can stagnate, as people tend to stay within their comfort zones. Spark moments ignite potential and open the door to impactful possibilities.
Target: Once an idea has taken root, it’s time to establish clear goals and a roadmap. The Target stage involves creating a simple plan that identifies the problem, defines the target audience, and considers initial costs. Getting feedback from the intended audience at this point helps validate the concept, ensuring you’re addressing a real need. This step provides direction, giving the team a “target” to aim for and a strategy to guide progress.
Evaluate: Testing is essential before committing resources to full-scale development. This is where the Proof of Concept (PoC) comes into play. Evaluating the idea on a small scale allows the team to identify potential issues, such as bugs, missing features, or compatibility challenges with existing systems. For products like Analytics Hub, the Evaluation stage was pivotal in identifying obstacles early, setting the foundation for a smoother rollout later on.
Publish: At this point, it’s time to release a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for real-world use. Unlike the PoC, the MVP is a production-ready version intended for initial customer interaction, whether internal or external. Publishing a limited-scope MVP allows the team to gather feedback and address early-stage issues in a controlled environment. This step not only validates the product but helps ensure quality before expanding its reach.
Scale: Finally, once the MVP has proven its value, it’s time to scale up. Scaling the solution to its full intended audience enables the project to achieve maximum impact. The prior stages lay the groundwork for this phase, as early testing and refinement resolve most major issues that could otherwise hinder growth. For tools like Analytics Hub, this is when true value is realised, as the solution becomes fully embedded within the organisation or reaches a larger customer base.
Why the STEPS Framework Works
The well-known phrase “fail fast, fail early” resonates in modern project management, but the STEPS Framework takes it a step further. By structuring each phase, the framework minimises risk and ensures that resources are focused on high-value, feasible initiatives. Each stage addresses a key area, guiding teams through initial concept development, careful testing, limited release, and finally, large-scale deployment.
This framework can be a valuable tool for teams in product development, migration projects, and the adoption of new technology or processes, giving them a systematic approach to navigate from idea to impact. With STEPS, teams can be confident that they’re pursuing initiatives that bring real value, supported by a strategy that paves the way for meaningful, scalable success.
