If your idea is reversible, just try it.

Public money isn’t the same as private money. But that doesn’t mean it’s sacred.

Jonny Mood from the National Audit Office told me something simple: if your test is low-cost, low-risk, and you can undo it easily, it’s probably better value for money to try it than to spend weeks modelling it.

That’s not a loophole: it’s the official view from the UK’s public spending watchdog.

👉 You can hear my full discussion with Jonny Mood on the podcast.

Take Action

If you’re a leader

Stop requiring full business cases for “two-way door decisions”. Say yes to experiments where the cost of action is lower than the cost of approving it.

If you’re a team member

Frame your proposal like this: “It’s a reversible change. Here’s how we’ll know if it works. If not, here’s how we roll it back.”