Build A Better Box

OK, I admit it; this post is purely for fun.  So, what the heck is this thing and why is it here in my blog? Many of you may know I play the drums, and this is my latest creation: a custom-designed and -built electronic drum set. Since my band is an '80s-based tribute act, I wanted to feature the obvious references to the famous Simmons drums so popular back then, as well as the tip o' the hat to Eddie Van Halen's famous "Frankenstein" guitar.

What does this have to do with a business blog? Well, I see metaphor in everything; even this drum rig isn't immune.  And after reflecting on my experience building this monster, I started to see a few parallels.

It all started after a few years of lugging around a huge and heavy setup - back breaking to haul to and from gigs, and time consuming to set up and tear down. The concept of using PVC pipe as a frame had been in my head for a while, but I quickly thought of the idea of building it as a six-sided frame, to mimic the look of the classic old hexagonal Simmons drum pads I use.  I wanted something lighter weight, yet structurally sound, and visually interesting from a design standpoint.  After three months, this is what I came up with.

But it wasn't born out of chaos, just throwing darts to see what hit. Every step was planned - from the placement of the drums themselves, to the hidden internal wiring harness (Look, Ma, no wires!) to the dimensions of each piece. I made sketches of the vision I had in my head, made lists of all the ingredients, and calculated measurements of everything I knew would be needed to manifest the sketches into reality.  And, amazingly, this was my first and only attempt - no prototype, no Plan B, and very little waste and leftover material.

At each step along the way, I made sure to do a reality check; there was no point in being "outside the box" if it sacrificed the basic fundamental needs of my instrument: form could not replace function. As wild as this thing might look, I needed to use it just like a standard set of drums.  Our audience won't care how cool it looks if it impairs my performance, so it was important for me to be sure it played as well as it looked good. Every time a new component was added, or a new phase of the building took place, I continually sat inside the rig behind the drum pads to check for placement and comfort. By the time it was finished, there were no big surprises - since I'd done my ergonomics tests along the way.

In business, you can come up with the most interesting and off-the-wall ideas to implement, but it's critical to always gauge the benefits of these initiatives relative to the potential losses. Will design interfere with efficiency? Will a unique, creative approach only lead to lost productivity and revenue? And just as I tested the validity of each new addition to my drum creation, it's important that in any business situation, only one variable at a time is implemented.  It's nearly impossible to evaluate the individual effectiveness or impact of any new change if it's simultaneously put in place alongside other new changes. This is a commonly made mistake; building a better box smartly means to assemble it one measurable piece at a time.

And just as with my own project, recognize the importance of a well-defined plan. This drum rig didn't just "happen". Although sparked by a clear vision of the final outcome, there were plans in place to steer it from what could certainly have been a chaotic mess - with threefold the amount of investment of time and money - to an affordable, useful, and decidedly different way of expressing myself.  Truly, a better box.  And a six-sided one, at that.