Your batches are not your own. Batches of work and other of tasks are typically dependent on the batches of others. Therefore, there are batch dependencies that cascade through all activities. Projects are linked by batch dependencies and queues that emerge over time.
Projects that start from a blank slate like many skunk works projects, the aren’t true blank slates. The slate is dependent on a legacy information.
While legacy information is a hindrance sometimes, the accumulated knowledge informs all of the activities of that are taking place.
Moreover, legacy information is responsible for the thinking and sequencing of all human activities. This knowledge comes from predecessors that have built on their predecessors.
In essence, knowledge is the greatest batch dependency that there is. Knowledge is transferred and shared in different ways. The transfer and the sharing takes place repeatedly and asynchronously.
Furthermore, physical material comes in batches. Synching the arrival of all the items takes a level of administration coordination as well.
Managing in the modern era is coordination of batch dependencies. Dependencies exist across the entire process from raw materials to the products ‘end of life.’
So information, knowledge and sometimes physical goods are transferred in batches at each phase of production and sales process. Therefore, information transfer batches are a critical component of the development process.
Sadly, most organizations don’t have information systems that are particularly good at this practice. Information is incomplete. Formatted incorrectly. Some elements are difficult to share in a digital format. There is not a great place to store tacit data.
Unfortunately, tacit data is the most important data. This is where the connections and value take place. The batch transfer of tacit information works from human to machine and then back to human. If this a one time data dump, maybe it is faster to transfer the information one to one.
