Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
The Big Chart
There is a simple tool that can be used to instantly boost productivity on almost any project. It costs practically nothing, and can be set up in five minutes. It doesn’t require training or approval from upper management. But there is some fine print.
The Big Chart has a humble yet venerable history in the business world. One day, as Andrew Carnegie toured his iron works, he passed a smelter and asked how many pigs of iron had been poured there the day before. He then picked up a piece of coal and wrote that number on the wall. The next day, as he passed by the same furnace, the number had been crossed out, and a larger one written in its place. The workers at the furnace, seeing their work displayed in this public way, were naturally inclined to work a little harder the next day. And each day after, they strove to keep the number moving upwards.
Snide comments from cynics aside, what applies to early 20th Century steel workers also applies to today’s code workers. As the Industrial Era was built on mighty steel, so our Information Age runs on ethereal software. And in the world of Extreme Programming on software projects, the Big Chart is still much beloved as a tool of communication, motivation and productivity. Maybe it can do the same on your projects, too.
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I don't have a good apartment for an intervention. The furniture, it's very non-confrontational. - Jerry Seinfeld |