Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Systems analysis is merely a few basic skills in what a person notices.

From time to time I analyze systems. I analyze all types of systems, and most of those systems are usually not recognized as systems. I suppose I have a broad idea of what comprises a system.

A fundamental skill I find in systems analysis is the ability to zoom in and back out as I notice the system.

(1) Zooming in examines the details of the system.

(2) Backing out considers the greater context of the system.

In considering (2), I wonder if the system fits in its universe. Will it play the role it is hoped to play?

In examining (1), I scrutinize if the parts of the system will sum to a system that works.

Zooming in and backing out aren’t difficult—at least they don’t seem difficult to me. They must be difficult because persons who can analyze systems seem to be rare.

by Dwayne Phillips

Persons in special positions have few people who will talk to them. The result is a problem.

Leaders occupy special positions. One result is that persons view the leader as a thing: a Vice President of such-and-such, a Director of this-or-that. Persons speak to things in a different and usually less-helpful manner than they speak to other persons.

If you are in a position of power, real or imagined, people treat you differently.

That is life, get over it

If you are in such a position, spending time with other people is more important than ever. Don’t think you have the time? Get over that one, too.

If you are in such a position, you need the perspective of others more than ever.

Some persons are smarter than everyone else. Their lone idea is better than all the ideas created by the brain-storming masses. The trouble is, you aren’t one of those smarter persons and neither am I. Get over that one, too. Admit the frailties of reality; admit the isolation of leadership. Make the time and space to talk with persons.

by Dwayne Phillips

We never have time to to it right, but we always have time to do it again.

The summary above is an old cliche or common sense or something. The trouble with common sense is that it is usually common sense and rarely common practice. (Is that another cliche?)

Gosh. How many times do we have to go through this before we learn?

I think the problem is that Americans are forgiving. Is that a virtue or a problem? In the realm of doing it wrong, then right, I find it to be a problem. Forgiveness rendered upon apology comes to easily. Apologizing for doing something wrong doesn’t have enough pain. The apology is almost always followed with, “try again.”

So, we apologize and try again. We just didn’t have enough time to do it right the first time. Hence, we take lots of time to apologize, seek forgiveness, and try again.

Perhaps one day. Then again, this blog post wasn’t written so well. I didn’t have time. Please forgive me. Next time I will think more before writing and do better. Please.

by Dwayne Phillips

Over the weekend, I passed the test for CompTIA Security+ certification. It was probably the worst test I have taken since my junior year of college (back when we scratched answers on cave walls with colored rocks).

Anyways, I memorized a bunch of stuff and passed a test. Perhaps this will come to something some day.

by Dwayne Phillips

I explore another aspect of logical implication and how lying permits people to construct all sorts of crazy stories.

Background: If logical implication makes no sense to you, and it made no sense to me for years, I point to two prior blog posts that I hope will help you understand this odd logic. Here is one. Here is the second. Also, here are two Wikipedia pages that may help. One. Another one.

And now, here we go…

It is a terrible thing for a public official or a spokesperson for a public agency to lie. The lie is FALSE. Logical implication then permits members of the public to create crazy stories which are also FALSE. Such things allow people to link the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations and claim that the World Trade Center events of 9/11 were performed by the US government in an effort to…

World Trade Center? Sure, some false statements were issued by government spokespersons. It doesn’t matter what the statements were or how false they were, if the spokesperson said anything that was incorrect (FALSE), logical implication leads to stories of extra terrestrials doing the destruction (FALSE).

The silliness or foolishness is important. A spokesperson doesn’t have to lie about something. They merely have to say something that is FALSE. That something could be tiny. That something could be an honest mistake. The FALSE statement leads to much greater FALSE stories.

One lie allows the creation of a much greater, much different lie.

Public officials must be honest. Lies lead to mistrust which leads to any sort of wild, fantastic theories about what is coming next. The public distrusting public officials is a horrible thing for a country or city or neighborhood.

Perhaps I am naive. Perhaps everyone expects public officials to stretch the truth.

But then, perhaps we need to start over and be honest from now on.

Please.

by Dwayne Phillips

Five minutes of quiet thought.

Each morning, at the end of Internet viewing and blogging and before I “go to work,” I sit for five quiet minutes and drink coffee. I stare into space.

I am not wasting time. It is an investment, one of the sharpening-the-saw moments from a self-help best-selling book of a prior generation.

by Dwayne Phillips

Many on-the-job frustrations come when we try to do our job.

The title and summary of this blog post may not make any sense. I have, however, heard much grumbling on the job when people are asked to do their jobs.

Some examples I have heard over the years:

• I can’t believe they are asking me to write this!
• But, you are the technical writer. It is your job to write things like this.

and

• I had to call the police to see if you were in jail when you didn’t show up for work!
• But, you work in security. It is your job to call the police.

and

• All I do is sit in meetings all day and take notes!
• But, you are the meetings facilitator assistant. It is your job to take notes in the meetings.

and, let’s just be silly for a moment…

• I’m sick and tired of hearing people complain.
• But, you work in the Complaints Department. It is your job to listen to complaints.

Oh, one more thing—never tell a distraught person,

but, that’s your job.

by Dwayne Phillips

There are too many things to mention on this Thanksgiving Day. To be brief, thanks to WordPress, Apple, Xfinity, and all those who taught me a few things about writing.

by Dwayne Phillips

Thirty years later, the $50 computer is back. I think that is a good thing.

In the early 1980s (yes, I am that old), we had the Sinclair Research made by Timex ZX81. It was a computer you could buy for $50. No, it wasn’t powerful, but it was a programmable computer.

Recently, Amazon introduced a $50 Fire tablet. I haven’t figured out how to program it, but it is a computer.

I have read a number of reviews of the Amazon $50 tablet. I agree with the reviews in that:

• the tablet works
• the Fire operating system is the biggest limiting factor

Why sell a $50 computer? Why not. Put more computers in the hands of more people. Put more paint brushes in the hands of more people. Put more musical instruments in the hands of more people.

Who know what wonderful things might happen.

by Dwayne Phillips

Why aren’t people taking me seriously? Why aren’t people paying attention to me?

If I want people to take and my group seriously, I should:

• do CMMI
• do PMP
• do ITIL
• sit at the keyboard and write everyday
• sit at the table and draw everyday
• take photos everyday
• play my instrument everyday
• do these on a schedule
• have portfolios in my hand (thumb drive)

Find out what people consider “serious” and do those things.