5.2.2. Focus on Value · Start Where You Are
💡 First Principle: "Focus on value" keeps every action tethered to a stakeholder benefit; "start where you are" insists you assess and reuse what already exists before building anew — together they prevent both aimless activity and wasteful reinvention.
Focus on value means everything the organization does should map, directly or indirectly, to value for itself, its customers, or other stakeholders. When evaluating any action, ask what value it creates and for whom; if you can't answer, question the action. Start where you are means you should assess the current state and reuse what's already there — services, processes, people, tools — rather than starting from scratch on the assumption that everything must be rebuilt.
⚠️ Exam Trap: "Start where you are" does not mean "don't measure" or "just keep doing what you do." It specifically means measure and understand the current state directly (not via assumptions or old reports) and reuse what's good. This is a classic misreading the exam exploits.
Reflection Question: Why does "start where you are" actually require careful measurement of the current state rather than excusing you from it?
