Getting Down to Brass Tacks: My Dressed/Undressed Experiment
Alright, let me tell you about this little exercise I did the other day. I call it “dressed/undressed”. It started because I was staring at this project plan, you know? The kind that looks super impressive at first glance.
The “Dressed” Version:
So, picture this: pages and pages of stuff. Fancy charts that took ages to make, probably. Buzzwords sprinkled everywhere like confetti. Timelines detailed down to the minute for stuff six months away. It had all the corporate shiny bits. Looked professional, right? Heavy. Important, even. You could print it out and it would make a satisfying ‘thud’ on the desk.
But when I actually tried to figure out the core ‘what are we actually DOING here?’ part, it was like wading through mud. All the dressing, the fancy formatting, the extra words… they just buried the actual point. It felt like wearing a giant, fluffy coat indoors – looked impressive maybe, but mostly just got in the way.
The “Undressing” Process:
I got a bit fed up. So, I saved a copy, named it something like ‘plan_stripped’, and just started cutting. Ruthlessly.
- First, I axed all the jargon. If I couldn’t explain it simply, it went out.
- Then, those complicated charts? Gone. Replaced them with simple bullet points or maybe a super basic table if needed.
- I questioned every single section. Does this really need to be here? Does it help explain the core goal or the main steps? If not, delete.
- All the fluffy introductory paragraphs and summaries that just repeated other bits? Chopped.
- Fancy formatting? Back to basics. Simple font, clear headings, lots of white space.
It felt good, honestly. Like cleaning out a cluttered garage. Hard work initially, deciding what to toss, but liberating.
The “Undressed” Reality:
What was left? Maybe two pages. Tops. Just the essential bits:
- What we want to achieve (one clear sentence).
- Why it matters (a couple of bullet points).
- The main steps to get there (a simple list).
- Who is doing what (basic responsibility breakdown).
- What resources we actually need.
That was it. No fluff. No trying to impress anyone with fancy words or graphics. Just the raw, necessary information. The core idea, standing there naked, basically.
What I Learned:
Looking at the ‘dressed’ version next to the ‘undressed’ one was a real eye-opener. The dressed-up one looked busy, but the undressed one was actually useful. You could instantly see the point. It was easier to understand, easier to discuss, easier to actually act on.
It made me realize how often we pile on complexity, thinking it makes things look more valuable or thorough. Sometimes, it just makes things confusing and hides the important stuff. Stripping it all back forces you to be clear about what truly matters. It’s a good sanity check. Try it sometime, maybe not with clothes, but with your work, your plans, your explanations. See what’s left when you take off all the fancy dressing.
