In last month’s meeting of The Presidents Forum, we discussed the first phase of the AMPS framework developed by Vernon Richardson: Ask the Question. In other words, start by clearly defining the problem you are trying to solve.

In our recent meeting, we moved to the next step: Master the Data. For business owners, this means understanding and measuring the current operational reality before making major decisions.

The members discussed real issues facing their organizations:

• What data exists?
• What data is missing?
• What is the process actually costing?
• Where are delays and errors occurring?
• Can leadership trust the information being provided?

It became clear that many business leaders face the same challenge: they possess vast amounts of data stored across their systems, yet still cannot answer the most important business questions in a timely and reliable manner.

The examples shared by the members demonstrated the growing need for accurate, relevant, and accessible information to improve operational efficiency and decision-making. In many cases, the issue is not the lack of data, but rather the inability to organize, analyze, and use it effectively.

The discussion also reinforced an important lesson for business owners: before investing in new software, automation, or artificial intelligence tools, organizations must first understand the quality and usefulness of the information they already possess.

Next month, the members will continue the AMPS discussion by moving to the third phase: Perform the Analysis. This includes comparing alternatives, identifying root causes, and evaluating tradeoffs before selecting a course of action.

The members agreed that using a structured framework to approach business problems helps organizations make better decisions, reduce uncertainty, and focus attention on the issues that matter most.

We look forward to continuing the discussion at next month’s meeting.