Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition

003 Ackoff’s Law

It is better to do the right things wrong than the wrong things right.

Ackoff’s law, proposed by the management theorist Russell Ackoff, states that although one can be successful doing the right things, even if poorly executed, one can never be successful doing the wrong things, even if perfectly executed. Therefore, getting strategy right — i.e., doing the right things — should always precede focus on execution — i.e., doing things right.1

According to Ackoff, doing the right things is “wisdom”, and doing things right is “efficiency”. If an organization is doing the right things, improving efficiency will make it righter over time. If an organization is doing the wrong things, improving efficiency will make it wronger over ...