Quick wins build momentum, validate the platform, and earn stakeholder trust. Without them, big-bang launches are high-risk.
Characteristics of a good quick win:
- Visible to leadership — they should see it work.
- Demonstrably better than current state — clear improvement.
- Low effort — buildable in 1-2 sprints.
- Low risk — can't break critical workflows if it goes wrong.
- Reusable foundation — sets up something larger.
Common quick wins:
- Simple dashboard for an executive — pipeline at-a-glance, replaces manual Excel report.
- Email template standardisation — consistent customer communication.
- A few key reports that consolidate scattered data.
- Automated email alert on a critical event (large opportunity, escalated case).
- Basic Lightning App for a specific role — focused workspace for a small team.
- Replace one Workflow Rule with a better Flow — smoother behaviour, modern tool.
- Migration of one report from Excel to Salesforce — saves analyst hours.
- Removing a permission that was over-broad — security improvement.
- A single integration to a frequently-asked-about source — reduces a manual step.
How to identify them:
- During Discovery, ask: "If you could fix one thing about the current setup, what would it be?"
- Monitor Slack / helpdesk channels for repeat complaints.
- Talk to the System Administrator about their backlog of small requests.
Sequencing strategy:
- Week 1-3: 2-3 quick wins.
- Week 4-12: foundational build.
- Week 12+: more substantive features.
The quick wins keep stakeholders engaged while the bigger build is invisible.
Cautions:
- Don't over-promise. Quick wins must actually be quick.
- Don't skip Discovery for them. Even quick wins need basic requirements.
- Don't let quick wins become the whole project. Architectural foundations need real investment.
- Don't deliver shiny features that don't fit overall architecture. Quick wins should align with the long-term vision.
A senior consultant maintains a running list of "quick win candidates" — even pre-engagement. Walking into a project with five identified opportunities builds credibility immediately.
The deeper reason quick wins matter: stakeholder trust is fragile early in a program. Concrete progress visible in week 4 builds the trust needed to weather the inevitable Week 12 setback.