Is it best to attack issues and initiatives piecemeal or big picture? I think, in most cases, it's best to start with big picture and then work down to the piecemeal stage. For example as I tackle the materials management/procedures challenge, the big picture is to create a teaching/learning environment that works seamlessly--the kind of environment where the procedural/materials issues occur well without thought so that we can spend most of our teaching/learning time on the priorities of the job--teaching and learning.
Then as we work down with a piecemeal effort, it's important to think about how we can make every material and procedure easily accessible and ready for completion/use.
What other issues are occurring that require thought?
What is the big picture aim/effort and rationale?
What are the pieces that need to be completed related to this?
I think this is a good way to think it through.