Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips Pulling information from colleagues can sometimes seem like pulling teeth. Why don’t they tell me what they are doing? Because “they” can’t read “my” mind. They don’t know what I feel is important today, what my boss is pinging on me for today. I have to ask. I have to pull the […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes success catches us by surprise. Too bad as we miss an opportunity. Success may not come, but be ready if it does. Years ago, I went to a conference and spoke. Some persons approached me and asked for more information and contacts and cards and seminars. Wow. What a success. I, […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Part 2 of 2 blogs on writing about…of course I write about what don’t I know. How else would I ever learn anything? This one doesn’t make as much sense as part 1 did. How can I write about something that I don’t know. Well… First, I learn. Second, I write. Or […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Part 1 of 2 blogs on writing about…of course I write about what I know. That is what is in my head. One write adage is, “Write about what you know.” Of course. This is a no brainer, right? What else would I write about. Let’s see, nuclear physics. That is something […]

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by Dwayne Phillips If we can’t provide a simple representation of a system, perhaps we have a mess and not a system. A: Can you draw me a picture of this? Something that shows how all the parts fit together? B: Uh, well, no. No one has ever asked for such. A: Well, I’m new […]

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by Dwayne Phillips How do you do something everyday for ten years? You do it everyday (for ten years). Every morning, with very few exceptions, I sit and view the news on the Internet. I make notes in a weblog. See here and here. Recently, I noted that I had done this for ten years. […]

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by Dwayne Phillips In many cases it is a bad idea to have the problem solver in the room when a problem describer describes a problem for the first time. About a generation ago, there was a movie about engineers and scientists at work in a small tech company. A couple of consultants arrive and […]

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by Dwayne Phillips An exercise to do at work or anywhere that more than one person gathers from time to time. Caution: this is not for the faint of heart. Here is something to do at work or anywhere that more than one person gathers from time to time: Sit in a circle. Go around […]

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Mr. Cook, I have been a user of Apple computers for about the last 15 years. Just this week, I bought an new iMac to replace the one I have been using daily without hiccup for six years. I always use Apple’s Time Machine to have a good backup of my iMac. When I picked […]

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