by Dwayne Phillips We review some fundamental concepts of programming and building things using any other technique. Now and then in conversations with well-learned and well-accomplished persons, I find that they lack in some of the basics I had the privilege to learn many years ago. It seems that we either forget these or never […]
Entries Tagged as 'Learning'
Parnas’ Principles
May 25th, 2020 · No Comments
Tags: Education · General Systems Thinking · History · Learning · Systems · Trust
But What Did You Learn?
May 21st, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Events occur constantly. Each is an opportunity to observe and learn and learn to observe ourselves. The title of this post is one of those questions that a person can ask another after any event on any day. It is personal as it is about the other person. I don’t care if […]
Tags: Event · Learning · Observation
Research or Reminders
May 14th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes research leads old guys to remember lessons from way back. Crisis helps us forget to our peril The other day at work, we were speaking with a thought leader in an area of technology. This person truly is an expert and a thought leader in the future of his area. The […]
Tags: Adapting · Learning · Software · Technical Debt
You Need Some Basic Vocabulary to Start
March 30th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips People can learn. A little basic vocabulary plus the desire to work hard means they are qualified to move into something new. Years ago, a young woman told me about how she wanted to move into a Spanish linguist job. She had an English-Spanish dictionary and some books written in Spanish. She […]
Tags: Commitment · Competence · Learning · Vocabulary
I Hope Nothing Comes Up in Today’s Meeting
February 27th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips There is something called the “hope nothing” meeting. In it, I hope nothing comes up that causes me pain, effort, and general angst. Hope nothing meetings are pleasant, but can be deadly. I sit in meetings. People tell me things. Sometimes they tell me things that cause me work. Sometimes they tell […]
Tags: Communication · Information · Learning · Management · Meetings
Our Past Brought Us Here
February 13th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips We hate to admit it, but we are here and now because of our past actions. “How did we get here?” bemoans a person currently caught in some quicksand of life. The answer is, “Out steps brought us here.” Another answer is, “The system is the way it is because we made […]
Tags: Adapting · Alternatives · Choose · Humility · Learning
Moving Past “I Don’t Know”
February 3rd, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes we don’t know something. There is a magic question that moves us from unknowing to knowing. Three words: when will you? Person A: How much will this project cost? Person B: I don’t know. Person A: When will you (know how much this project will cost)? Person B: I don’t know. […]
Tags: Knowledge · Learning · Questions
Happy New-ness
January 6th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips It is a New Year (as we count time). New is something that has never been here before. New is everywhere, everyday. A few years ago I was on a guided tour of some place unusual. I asked the tour guide what we would be seeing in the next section of the […]
Adult Discussions
December 9th, 2019 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes some persons should not be in the room during discussions. You may stay in the room if you like. It is obvious from your reaction that this is all above your head. Please keep quiet. Learning is permitted, but interruption is discouraged. This is harsh. Sometimes it is necessary. Greater learning […]
Tags: Adults · Learning · Work
Have You ever Taught?
September 19th, 2019 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Teacher? Not me. Of course me. Understanding what it means to teach reveals that almost all of us are teachers. teach: verb, show or explain to (someone) how to do something. Have you ever told someone something that they didn’t know before you told them? Congratulations. You are a teacher. It really […]
Tags: Communication · Education · Learning