Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

It can be disappointing to admit, but if we want significant change, we must bring it about slowly.

Significant change—the kind that brings big benefit over a big period of time—occurs slowly. Those two adjectives concerning change—significant and slow—appear inseparable.

I don’t like that. When I have a great idea for a great change that will bring great things, I want it quick, immediate is even better.

In my experience, however, when I bring about quick change, it isn’t significant. Something good comes, but it only lasts a little while. Or something comes that last a while, but it isn’t that good for us.

Thought. Effort. Plant seeds. Let them grow. Time. All these slow things. Little by little. Enough cliches. I hope the idea is coming across.

Leadership requires thought.

• Where do I want us to be one day?
• What should I do little by little each day that pulls us there?
• Do I have the desire, energy, and patience to continue on this path?
• Do I believe this change is good?
• Do I want to go to that place out there in our future?

The questions continue, and they don’t become any easier.

by Dwayne Phillips

It is easy to forget that those of us who write computer programs are basically simulating machines to perform useful tasks.

That wonderful computer program known as Visicalc was credited with being the world’s first electronic spreadsheet. The name Visicalc was short for “visible calculator.” Great stuff that transformed many aspects of business and what we came to call home computing.

The software simulated a machine that added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided numbers, a.k.a., a calculator. There were mechanical calculators. These machines went back decades or centuries or however old the abacus is. The source code for Visicalc was the design of a machine. When combined with other software (the other software being designs for other machines), Visicalc simulated and advanced form of a calculator.

• Microsoft Word simulates an advanced form of a typewriter.
• Microsoft Excel, when used in different ways, simulates an advanced form of a filing cabinet.
• WordPress (what I am using at this moment) simulates an advanced form of a printing press.

I could go on with examples.

Computer programmers—we call ourselves “developers” these days—simulate machines. The machines do useful work for us. It is easy to forget what we are doing. At times we should try to remember the “useful work” part of the prior sentence.

by Dwayne Phillips

Are we ready to do this?

Long ago I participated in meetings that were called things like:

• Operational Readiness Review
• Test Readiness Review
• Contract Readiness Review
• Trip Readiness Review
• fill-in-the-blank

Several persons sat together and asked, “Are we ready to do this?”

Regardless of what “this” was, we discussed the answer. Sometimes we had checklists, sometimes we didn’t.

We discussed these things because once we started something, stopping to go back and gather what we forget was quite expensive. The readiness discussion saved us resources and pain. In other words, the readiness discussion paid for itself many times over.

Try it. Please.

by Dwayne Phillips

Let us consider the humble design review. It is still valuable.

I have an idea. I think it will solve a problem or improve a situation. It is just an idea, but let’s try it. Perhaps—before we try it—let’s discuss it.

This discussion of an idea before trying it is a design review.

Now, that doesn’t sound too painful, does it? A simple discussion of an idea shouldn’t be difficult or costly. Perhaps we can improve the idea during the discussion. Perhaps we can discover that the idea is fraught with perils that I had not foreseen. Perhaps we can save ourselves a lot of cost and misery.

In the day of Agile we don’t hold design reviews much anymore. We can still do these. They can add value to our efforts. And we can do them efficiently, if we choose.

by Dwayne Phillips

Times change, but not all things. We still want to be friends with the rich.

I guess things don’t change much with us through the centuries. We want to be friends with the rich. See, e.g., all the places that want Amazon to come and sit for a while.

The richest person in the world runs Amazon. Every little hamlet pledges to let Amazon come with reduced taxes, utility bills, and everything else. The residents of the hamlet will pay more to curry this favor.

Hmmm, the poor and the “just average folks” will give money to the richest person in the world. I guess that makes sense. We all seem to want the rich to be our friends. There is great potential there, so I perhaps there is some long-term wisdom in play here.

I’m not sure.

by Dwayne Phillips

I contemplate a simple yet still effective management tool—the humble calendar.

What will I do tomorrow? What about the day after? What about next month. Oh, wait, is next week in next month or this month?

How can I keep track of time?

We revisit the humble calendar. If this is insulting to you, sorry, this is not for you. Please read the next bit of writing that I post.

Years ago I supervised about a dozen hard working, always-on-the-road persons. I needed to know where they were on any given day. Sigh. So much to track. I used Microsoft Word to print a table that resembled a calendar. I adhered the calendar to the wall next to my desk using a wonderful temporary spray adhesive, I wrote in pencil on the calendar. Hmmm, paper and pencil and a wall. Hmmmm. Someone told me where they were going and when. I wrote it on the calendar.

Someone asked me, “Where is so and so?” I looked on the calendar and found the answer.

If I went elsewhere, I took the calendar with me. If needed, I put old calendars in a manila folder—another humble tool—for referencing the past.

Silly? Perhaps. Useful? Absolutely. Recommended? Absolutely.

We don’t have to reinvent everything. We don’t have to use a computer for everything. If work or life is overwhelming, use simple, proven tools…like the humble calendar.

Why did I write and post this? Because I know persons who are overwhelmed and who do not use calendars.

by Dwayne Phillips

We often use a simple yet silly algorithm for ranking requirements. It is easy. I guess that is why we use it.

We have a lot of work to do. We have more work than resources. Hence, we have to rank requirements to work the more important ones first.

Well, maybe we should rank the requirements to work the more important ones first.

Well, sometimes we rank the requirements to work the more important ones first.

Well, actually, we, uh, er, sort of work the requirements that we remember.

Uh, you know, uh, the ones that someone told us yesterday. I suppose, uh, er, those were the last ones in, the last ones we scribbled on the white board. Well, maybe we didn’t even scribble them on the white board. We sort of remember them because someone just told us about them, so uh, er, we’re working on them.

Too bad. We work by a simple yet silly process, uh, let’s say “algorithm” as that sounds more scientific and systematic. The last thing someone told me in the hallway is what I will work on today. That way I don’t have to bother with other thoughts.

Besides, no one is paying attention to what we do, right?

by Dwayne Phillips

Want to write a book? Want to write another book? Okay, do it.

A book I am writing

I am writing a book every day. Most people call it a journal. No, I won’t “publish” it. No, no one else will buy it. No, no one else will even read it.

That doesn’t matter. I wrote it. I wrote another book. When that book is finished (six months of writing per journal), I will write another one. If you want to buy one of my journals, contact me, but the price will be outrageous—somewhere in the $1,000 range.

by Dwayne Phillips

Need a decision? Know the last possible minute.

Little Me: Here is the situation. I don’t have the authority to decide the direction. Please decide.

Big Boss: Not today.

Little Me: But, I, we, need…

Big Boss: If I don’t decide now, will we all cease to exist?

Little Me: long pause…I guess not

Big Boss: Hence, we have not reached the last minute, have we?

Little Me: longer pause…I guess not

Big Boss: Tell me when the last minute is.

Little Me: still pausing…I guess I can…

Big Boss: Tell me the time that past that point an indecision will cause us all to cease to exist (in this work context).

Little Me: But, I don’t know…

Big Boss: Come back to me when you do know.

by Dwayne Phillips

I review yet another fundamental of accomplishing work that seems to have been forgotten.

In order for us to accomplish our work and our mission, we need you to do something. Here is the work. Here is the schedule. Here are the resources. Please.

I suppose we leave off most of those words in meetings when we look around and say, “You do that.” Too bad. Perhaps we should say those words. Perhaps remembering the context will help us all.

This is the humble action item. Add this item to your “To Do” list. We do still have “To Do” lists, right? Or has that one been forgotten as well?

Tips:

Have a notebook and pen. Don’t like notebooks? Get a blank book that you do like. Something you want to be seen carrying. Leather, vinyl, trimmed, emblazoned, whatever it is you like. Get a pen. Something you like. Go to all the trouble and expense. “Hey look everyone. Look at the pen and book I have with me here at the table.” Love it.

Make notes. Yes, write things in that great book with that great pen.

When you are assigned a task—one of those action items—draw a small square in the left margin. Write the task. Write just enough in the meeting so you will remember it later. Leave a few blank lines so later you can fill in details to help you accomplish the work.

When you complete the task, fill in the square. Make a check mark. Get a pen with gold ink and use that to fill in the square. Find something you love.

You flip through the great book you carry and you see all those things you are still working and all those many, many, many things you have accomplished.

Simple? Yes. Easy? It becomes easier with practice. Practical? Yes. Try it for a while.