When our team solves an issue during IDS, we often assign a To-Do with vague phrasing like look into software pricing, which stalls out the next week. What is the standard for phrasing and validating a Level 10 To-Do?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A poorly scoped To-Do guarantees low completion rates. Phrases like look into, explore, review, or handle are not action items; they are vague intentions. When an action item lacks a clear finish line, leaders push it off until the morning of the next Level 10 Meeting, realize they do not know what done looks like, and report it as not done.

During the Solve step of IDS, an issue is not resolved until a specific, binary To-Do is agreed upon and recorded. The meeting scribe and Integrator must ensure every single To-Do meets a rigorous three-part standard before moving to the next issue.

Every Level 10 To-Do must satisfy these criteria:

- Single ownership: A To-Do can belong to only one person. If two people need to work on a task, split it into two distinct To-Dos or assign the outcome to one owner who coordinates the second person. Joint ownership means zero accountability.
- Action verb with an objective deliverable: Never use the word look into. Use words like call, email, draft, decide, or submit. Instead of look into software pricing, the To-Do must read: Email three ERP vendors and collect formal pricing sheets.
- Seven-day viability: The deliverable must be something that can be completely finished within seven days. If the owner cannot guarantee completion by next week's meeting pulse, break the task down into a smaller immediate step.

Taking fifteen extra seconds to validate the wording of a To-Do during Conclude eliminates weeks of operational drift.