When you need to do – or lead (or be a part of) – something that has multiple steps from start to an ideal-looking finish, to just get the motor-running on the process you may do the easiest thing first and save the “hardest” thing for later down the line. Or, I’ve known some people to tackle that hardest thing first so the rest of the process is a relatively easy downhill slide.

Though the word permutation is commonly defined as “one of several possible variations that something can be ordered or arranged” – please allow me to introduce the mathematical definition of the word, which actually dictates that there is a specified order to a specified number of items & actions that must be followed in order to get to the finish line that is desired.

You see, in ye ol math world, when the order of the steps in your process don’t matter, then that’s simply known as a combination. Thankfully, there are probably more combinations in our lives than permutations.

The IRL mathematical permutations I am thinking about are the ones that revolve around human-centered actions. I feel like I’m seeing a lot of them in the news lately, like swaths of layoffs at large companies or the mass eradication of homeless encampments.

Employing the concept of applying a mathematical permutation to the order of the steps in your process may absolutely – in fact, it’s quite likely – add additional time to the process. Sure, those layoffs may legit need to happen and need to happen ASAP and you want to time it ‘right’ with the next payroll cycle, but don’t do layoffs on a Friday, that’s f’d up for everyone involved and assuming a weekend of time away from the office will then make for a calmer “fresh start” on Monday…nah, that just ignites more questions.

Or, making executive decisions to satisfy the loudest $$$-controlling complaints in your ear yet not taking the time – not insisting on taking the time – to talk with the homeless population that’s directly affected by the actions of their only safe shelter being destroyed, that, too, is f’d up.

Thoughtfulness and respect for our fellow humans is the social currency that doesn’t ebb along with the rate of inflation. This is what is meant by human-centered design.

So here’s what I ask of you: the next time you find yourself about to start something that will directly affect the lives of other humans, I hope that instead of just evaluating the impact on your life, you’ll decide to evaluate thoughtfully the impact you’ll make on others as well. If your process needs to now add or reorder some steps, so be it. Then forevermore you may now have, and insist it will always be, a permutation of that process.