Situation: Signal situation

Hi, welcome to the twentieth day of The Leads intellectual challenge: a 30-day challenge with Fatai Kareem. If you would like to know more about unusual situation, read the nineteenth day challenge here.

Today, he will be discussing another type of situation known as signal situation. Why do you use alarm or set reminder? Why do doctors look out for symptoms? Why do you use google alert? Why do businesses have KPI (key performance indicator) for their projects? 

Well, understanding signal situation will enable you to be informed about what is going on or that is likely to happen.

Signal situation is a situation that occurs to indicate or inform you of the existence or eventuality of a condition. This situation occurs to make you to be aware of what is going on or what might happen. It serves to be an indicator or informant, therefore you are able to take necessary action in response to what you have been made to know.

This situation may occur as a warning, symptom, reminder, sign, notification, alarm, alert, indicator, etc. The purpose it performs when it occurs is to enable you to know that something has happened or is about to happen, therefore you are able to get prepared for what might happen or know what you need to do in response to the condition.

This situation is useful where there is a need to determine if a condition exists or may occur. Therefore, those factors that characterised the existence of such condition are looked out for. If these factors are discovered, then it can be inferred that the condition exists or is likely going to occur. If not, it can be concluded that the condition does not exist or is unlikely going to occur. Whatever the case maybe, it enables you to make the right decision and take necessary action by being aware of what is going on.

This situation can be used as monitoring and controlling measures through which you are able to determine if something or  an activity is moving towards or away from the planned or desirable outcome. Measures are put in place to indicate the change that has occurred and whether this change falls within or outside the plan, budget, or desirable level.

This situation can occur to inform you of an opportunity or danger that is about to happen. Therefore, you are able to get prepared for what can occur. In case of an opportunity, you tend to prepare for taking advantage of the opportunity. In case of danger, you tend to prepare for preventing or avoiding the danger, hence minimising the risk involved.

To put an effective signal situation in place, the following steps maybe helpful:

• Define the need for the situation. This will enable you to know what you want to achieve by putting the situation in place.

• Understand the condition involved. This will enable you to know how you can measure the condition or determine its existence or eventuality.

• Determine what needs to be monitored. This will enable you know how you can determine if the condition has occurred or is about to occur.

• Determine the monitoring mechanism. This will enable you to know the means by which you can monitor the condition and get informed of what is going on.

• Determine the response to be taken. This will enable you to know how best to handle the situation when you are been informed about what is going on. Therefore, you will be proactive towards the condition.

Case study

1. Chioma has an appointment the following day, and sets an alarm to wake her up in the morning. When the alarm sounds, what will be the thought that will come to her mind? How will it affect her?

2. XYZ company is working on a particular project. It has all the resources needed for the project, but fails to measure and control its activities. At the end, it fails to successfully complete the project. How can signal situation be of help to XYZ company in successfully completing the project? 

3. ABCXZ Ltd and XYCBA company organise online events to launch their new products. ABCXZ Ltd plans to send reminders, one to the event, to those that have registered for its event. While XYCBA company does not plan for such. Which of these two entities is likely to have more attendees? (Provided, other things being equal).

Disclaimer: All names used are for illustration purpose.

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