Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Trying to edit the writing of yourself or someone else? Especially trying to shorten the writing?

Simply delete

• the last phrase of a sentence
• the last sentence of a paragraph
• the last paragraph of a page
• the last page of a chapter
• the last chapter of a book
• the last section of an article

The first line of advice will serve us well if we can’t remember any of the others.

by Dwayne Phillips

Sometimes if we change one little word to another littler word, the message is received.

I write this post from a local coffee shop. I have been coming to this local coffee shop to viewing the Internet and write various things for about ten years. Every now and then, one of the familiar persons here will ask, “What do you really think about this place?”

I recently caught my self and the word I was about to use. Instead of saying:

One of my major complaints is…

I said

One of my major wishes is…

I changed one little word to another littler word. The entire world changed as well.

Hmmm, that’s all there is to it, I guess. Just change one word now and then and everything succeeding it changes. I wish I was this smart all the time. Wait, let’s change that to, I wish I was this smart some of the time. There is another little change I could use (or is it will use?—there is no end to this, is there?).

by Dwayne Phillips

Please hire some editors in your business. They are need in many more ways than most persons expect.

This is a post about editors—the human variety who read and change what others write.

First, we have editors who collect writings from a variety of persons and combine them into one writing. Their job is consistency. Change all the writings so that they appear to come from one person, not many. Yes, the many writers might not like this, but we are trying to please the reader, i.e., the paying customer. The reader wants a smooth, consistent reading experience.

Second, we have editors who edit what people enter in databases. What? Yes. The greatest problem with databases is that one person types “television” while the next types “TV” and the next types “tv” and so on. All our smart software can’t discern and collect and merge and all the things an editor can do. See, e.g., how “gardeners” do it on Wikipedia.

I find that the need for the second employment of editors dwarfs the first. I find that the use of the second employment of editors is dwarfed by the first. I also find, yes, this is becoming more discouraging as I write, that the use of the first employment of editors is also dwarfed by the need.

Sorry folks, the state of software today is not good enough to replace a competent editor, i.e., the human variety who read and change what others write.

by Dwayne Phillips

If I cannot explain something with brevity and clarity, I am not ready to explain it.

Gosh, that summary is a killer. I am ready to explain something. I have this earth-changing wonderful great super-duper (note the lack of brevity and clarity) idea that the world needs to hear and implement just absolutely right now!!!

But, I am yet able to explain it clearly and briefly, like in one sentence of less than 20 words (and 20 words is a pretty darn long yawn-inducing sentence—and not again how that is neither brief nor clear).

I need to go back and consider my idea further. Brainstorming? Well, good. Brevity and Clarity still rule.

“We aren’t ready to explain this. Let’s use some brainstorming or other techniques to help
us understand what we want to explain.” That is a brief and clear statement of the present. Such serve us much better.

“But we don’t have time for this. We must move on now.”

That is an opinion. The lack of brevity and clarity are much closer to fact. Please, patience. The additional thought may serve us well.

by Dwayne Phillips

Take care lest we forget the purpose of an endeavor. It is easy to lose our way.

The numbers prove it (well, pretty much): these shoes from Nike help us to run more efficiently, i.e., same distance and speed, and more, with less energy consumed. Wow! I need these for my running! Right?

Well, let me not forget why I run (at my age an apt description is trot)—to burn calories and lose fat. Do I want efficiency? Do I want to burn fewer calories while running the same distance and speed? Uh, well, errrr no. Hence, these are the worst shoes in the world for me at this time with this purpose.

Please, let us remember what we are trying to accomplish. Let us remember our purpose for our current endeavor. Let us not lose our way and do something that accomplishes the opposite of our original goal.

by Dwayne Phillips

Another troubling thing recruiters often say.

Recruiter: Oh, so you’re interested in an oversight position as opposed to hands on.

Me: No, I am not looking for an oversight position. I really don’t understand what that is. Since it is your word, would you please explain it to me?

Recruiter: …silence…

Me: Hands On, I guess that means that I am doing something myself.

Recruiter: …silence continues…

Me: Let’s try an example: I sit in the corner in a series of meetings observing how persons in the meetings interact. I then analyze those observations with the observed outcomes of the overall group. I then explain to the organization’s managers why the outcomes are not what is desired and how the meeting interactions are logically leading to the not-desired outcomes. Then I explain how the persons may learn a different way of interacting with one another to move the outcomes toward the more-desired state.

Recruiter: Well, uh, does anyone ever really do that?

Me: Yes.

Recruiter: …terminal silence…

Is that oversight or hands on? I leave the answer to some recruiter somewhere who understands these terms better than I.

by Dwayne Phillips

When assessing a system, remember the correct order of tasks, and always remember that persons are involved in any system that matters.

When assessing a system, proceed to:

1. Observe
2. Learn
3. Converse

Please, do these tasks in this order. This is especially recommended when persons are part of that system, and persons are always a part of a system if that system is any good.

Proceeding out of order often leads me in the wrong direction. If I am lucky, I may discover my misdirection and correct course. That, however, is only by luck and fortune with having extra resources. That is rarely the case.

Patience.

by Dwayne Phillips

Computing is amazing. It does not, however, overcome basic physics.

The kids and their coach in Thailand were rescued from that cave. One rescuer died in the attempt.

Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat? They don’t overcome physics, gravity, water, oxygen, and those other pesky things.

Note how we quickly lose control when we venture out into that big blue room. (A term we used back in the day when computer programmers huddled endlessly in noisy, cold, computer centers. On some occasions we would venture “out of doors” with those huge blue walls and ceilings.)

Yes, we do amazing things with this computing technology. The rescuers in Thailand used a lot of this technology to affect the outcome. Still, gravity wins.

by Dwayne Phillips

Let’s not attribute to things that which belong to persons.

The sign on the door read,

This bathroom is out of order. Sorry! *MANAGEMENT*

Just a simple little sign, and they said they were “sorry.” Who, however, was “they.” The writer of the sign was “MANAGEMENT.” (yes, that was written all uppercase)

Pause. It is “managers” not “management.” Managers are persons with names and faces. Management is some thing—no name, no face, no person. The only thing I find worse than “management” is “senior management.” There are senior managers—persons with names.

Please, use your name. Please, refer to persons, not things.

“The computer crashed.” No, the software written by Mable and Maurice contained errors made by Mabel and Maurice that caused the machine to fail. Mabel and Maurice are trying to find and correct their mistakes. If you—another actual person with a name—can offer any helpful tips, Mabel and Maurice would appreciate that.

We could continue with more, everyday examples. This should suffice. Please, use your name, Please refer to persons, not things.

by Dwayne Phillips

Another fundamental to what we used to call “project management.” If you don’t have something like a basis of estimate…good luck. You will need it.

“We can have this done in so many days at such-and-such cost!”

“Really? Great. Oh, by the way, why do you think that?”

The answer is a basis of estimate. Okay, no one likes a term like “BASIS OF ESTIMATE.” That sounds too rigid or old fashioned or just plain mean. We need something nicer or more agile or something.

The basis of estimate or “this is why I think I can do this” doesn’t have to be painful to create. Are you Agile? This is the velocity on similar tasks. “This isn’t exact to five significant digits, but it is something. We will adjust our reason why as we practice and learn.”

Yes, we should have something other than, “You want it by Christmas? Yeah, I think we can do that.” Have something you can stick on the wall and say, “See that? That is why.”