Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips We are here; we are gone. Sorry, others will forget us. I’m sorry, but it will be forgotten, and I will be forgotten as well. Sure, computer technology can store my life, but someone has to pay attention, and that is where it falls apart. In some library somewhere are copies of […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Questions are just questions. No offense intended. “No, I am not trying to be mean. I am asking questions to learn as there are some things I don’t know, but would like to know. Please help me understand.” “I apologize if you think I am de-railing your presentation. I am seeking clarity.” […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Excellent maintenance sometimes indicates a faulty product or service. Sometimes, no maintenance indicates a superior product or service. I first encountered this over 20 years ago. We had purchased similar products from two companies, let’s call them Smith Inc. and Jones Inc. for now. The conversation went something like… “What happens when […]

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by Dwayne Phillips I recommend an organization for the future or work as we know it. This is the new company. It is an agile team that has worked together on many software projects. The Team has learned much on all these past projects. The Team has become high performing (it “jelled” a long time […]

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by Dwayne Phillips We thank the person. We comment on the product. And we let everyone know that is what we do here. Persons accomplish the work in endeavors. Persons use tools, sometimes they are really cool and expensive ones, but persons ultimately accomplish the work. The outcome of the work is a product (sometimes […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Analysts seek to find the difference that makes a difference. What can be vexing is that often there is no final difference. I believe that technical analysis and the analysis of technical systems comes to one question: What is the difference that makes a difference? Is it temperature that makes one system […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Take great care when everyone agrees about something. Once the world was plagued with the longitude problem. Long-distance sea travel was dangerous and fraught with the great unknown, “where are we?!?!?!?” Everyone agreed on the solution to the longitude problem. Everyone, that is, except the carpenter who solved the problem. For background, […]

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by Dwayne Phillips What is systems engineering? One answer is, “you can do it with only a pencil and piece of paper.” I have been plagued with the question, “What is systems engineering?” for too long. As a job seeker, a common job opening is Systems Engineer. A quick reading of the job description shows […]

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