The Case for C.A.S.E.
Close the Gap P.3 Ch.3
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Every system in your business is perfectly designed to produce the results it currently delivers. Whether it’s your marketing, client acquisition, or daily operations, your outcomes—both positive and negative—are a direct reflection of how your systems function.
If you want to improve your results, you must optimize the systems driving them.
Fortunately, system optimization isn’t about reinventing the wheel or adding complexity. It’s about recognizing, refining, and enhancing what’s already in place.
This is where the C.A.S.E. process—a framework developed by Dan Nicholson in Rigging the Game—comes into play. This four-step approach helps you collect, analyze, strategize, and execute optimizations for sustainable success.1
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The C.A.S.E. framework effectively combines elements of W. Edwards Deming’s PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act), Six Sigma’s DMAIC Process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), and the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) into a streamlined system.
Let’s break down each step and explore how it can transform your business, starting with your marketing and sales process.
Step 1: Collect Relevant Data
The first step in system optimization is gathering relevant data—information that accurately reflects your system’s current state.
Consider your marketing and sales system. If you aim to increase client acquisition, track metrics that matter, such as:
Lead generation: How many potential clients do you reach each week
Conversion rates: How many leads turn into clients?
Time spent per lead: How much effort is required to move a lead through your sales funnel?
Data collection lets you pinpoint what’s working and what needs improvement. Without this data, you’re operating on assumptions rather than clarity. Actionable data illuminates the path forward.
Do the WorkIdentify one system in your business (e.g., marketing, sales, operations) and begin collecting relevant data over the next week. Focus on metrics that provide meaningful insights into its functionality.
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Step 2: Analyze Your Data
After gathering data, it’s time to analyze it. The goal here is to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of your system. Look for patterns, identify bottlenecks, and examine gaps between input and output.
Returning to the marketing example: When I analyzed my marketing approach, I discovered that I was investing over 80% of my time on activities that yielded minimal return. Most of my clients came through referrals and direct conversations, yet I was spending excessive time on digital marketing that wasn’t generating results.
Analyzing your data may reveal that certain activities—like posting on social media—consume time but don’t directly contribute to conversions. Or you might discover that your highest-value clients come from referrals, giving you valuable insight into where to focus your efforts.
Do the Work
Reflect on the data you’ve collected and identify one or two key insights about what’s working and what’s not. Where are the inefficiencies? What could you streamline or focus on?
Keep reading for steps three and four.