HiFi Information Reveals Better Options
Reports can lose details that matter to a decision. High-fidelity information comes from examining conditions firsthand or asking a trusted observer to investigate what the reports leave unexplained.
THE IDEA
HiFi Information Reveals Better Options
United States general George Marshall sought high-fidelity information: detailed accounts from people who had observed conditions firsthand. The following story shows why he sometimes sent someone to investigate beyond the reports reaching headquarters.
The Problem
At one point during World War II, the War Department ran into a difficult situation with the Air Force in the Pacific: pilots were refusing to fly. The reports Marshall received suggested there was something wrong with the planes. It wasn't a matter of parts. They were getting all the parts they were asking for. Marshall asked if the pilots wanted the planes modified in some way. The American planes were heavier and less maneuverable than the Japanese Zeros, so he had a plane stripped of its armor to reduce its weight. But that wasn't the problem. The pilots didn't want their planes stripped of armor.
Marshall struggled to understand what was going on. Talking to the commander gave him no insight, so he did what he often would: he sent someone “to look around and see things that weren’t being reported—not just what they were yelling about.” No one likes the person sent from the head office to check on things—neither the commander nor the line cook. Everyone is suspicious. But Marshall needed eyes and ears on the ground to get to the heart of the matter. He knew he’d only get answers by going directly to the source.
What the Direct Report Uncovered
What Marshall’s direct report uncovered was that the Air Force ground crews didn’t have any protection from mosquitoes. They had to work on the planes at night under electric lights, which attracted insects, and those mosquitoes were feasting on them. The mechanics had gotten so full of malaria or antimalarial medication that the pilots didn’t trust their work and refused to fly.
The Solution
The people back at headquarters, in mosquito-protected areas, had no idea what was really going on in the field. They were focused on combat supplies—ammunition, parts, food—but not mosquito netting. With his HiFi information, though, Marshall decided to override a portion of the tonnage they’d allocated for combat supplies and get those nets. Problem solved!
When to use it
A manager gathering customer feedback by directly observing users rather than reading survey summaries.
An executive walking the factory floor to see operations firsthand instead of relying on management reports.
A project leader conducting on-site visits to understand end-user pain points in person.
A policymaker spending time in affected communities to grasp the real impact of policies.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Pacific Theater Mosquito Nets
When pilots refused to fly, reports indicated mechanical issues. By sending a direct report to the front lines, Marshall discovered that ground crews lacked mosquito netting, leading to malaria and distrusted maintenance. He redirected supplies to ship nets, solving the problem.
Software Product HiFi
A software team receives user complaints about a feature. Instead of relying on aggregated tickets, a product manager visits a client site and observes users. They discover the real issue is a cumbersome login process, not the feature itself. Direct observation leads to a quick fix.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Recall a situation where you made a decision based on incomplete or filtered information. What was the outcome, and how could HiFi information have changed it?
How can you establish processes to regularly gather high-fidelity information in your team or organization?
What are the barriers that prevent leaders from going directly to the source, and how can they overcome them?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Clear Thinking Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results (Shane Parrish)