by Dwayne Phillips We know the answers. We have the information. Can we access it? More importantly, can you access it? We have the data silo. Some call it the data stovepipe. Some call it the sandbox. Others call it job (in)security. Enough of the metaphors and cliches. We have the information. I can find […]
We Have That Information (Tucked Away Somewhere)
January 30th, 2023 · No Comments
Tags: Accountability · Adults · Information · Knowledge · Security
Spilled Coffee
October 31st, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips I finally did it—I spilled a cup of coffee on my computer (first time ever over 40 years). A few lessons learned. After 40+ years of using my own personal computer, I spilled a cup of coffee on my current Apple MacBook Air. After a couple of hours, the coffee saturated the […]
Tags: Accountability · Chaos · Cloud Computing · Computing · Failure · Humility · Learning · Mistakes
Caution: Piece Work
August 11th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips When my work is done, my day is done. That is what I want. Really? Caution. That leads down a perilous path. I work from home most of the time. This pandemic and such and other factors mean that I don’t have an office in the building. I can go to the […]
Tags: Accountability · Choose · Remote Work · Work
The Lawyers and the Demise of Artificial Intelligence
June 13th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips We move forward to the 1980s when the lawyers prevented artificial intelligence (AI) from helping us do our jobs. Note: This post is about legal maneuvers that prevent helpful AI systems. It is not about AI systems that were built poorly and mimic some human tendencies to discriminate against persons illegally. Those […]
Tags: Accountability · Artificial Intelligence · Decide · History · Technology
Defining Jargon in Terms of Jargon
April 11th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips We invent new ways of being lazy in communicating. It sort of sets us apart from the ignorant masses. I did a Google search on “Kubernetes.” The result: Kubernetes, also known as K8s, is an open-source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Oh, containerized applications. Of course. Jargon […]
Tags: Accountability · Clarity · Communication · General Systems Thinking · Talk · Teaching
Another Silly Silence Agreement
April 4th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips We seem to create silly rules about silence. This is another one of those, “What happens here stays here.” We create silly rules about silence. I wrote about one earlier in this blog, “Silence is agreement.” Nonsense. Another that just came to mind is, “What is said here stays here.” That permits […]
Tags: Accountability · Adults · Agreement · Meetings · Talk
Abbreviations, Grouping Persons, and Removing Accountability
February 28th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips This bothers me—this bothers me often and deeply. We abbreviate or shorten descriptions of individual persons. We “lump them together” so as not to name individuals or describe them. Such removes accountability. This bothers me. Here is a news story about the Congress of the United States. There are hundreds of such […]
Tags: Accountability · Clarity · Communication · Respect · Writing
The Win-Win Situation (and the loser)
December 16th, 2021 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Win-win situations mean that both parties win. Great! There are, however, losers as well. We love win-win situations. Both parties in the situation leave better than they were before. Who wouldn’t like that? The loser wouldn’t. But both parties are better. What loser? Of course there is a “loser.” Of course there […]
Tags: Accountability · Agreement · Commitment
Where are We Going? (Linear Regression)
December 6th, 2021 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Linear Regression is an old, basic technique to predict the future given the past. It seems that its utility has been forgotten by many. How did we get here? Why didn’t anyone see this coming? These are a couple questions I heard recently when groups of persons gathered to discuss … well, […]
Tags: Accountability · Analysis · Change · Data Science · Economics · Estimation · Hope · Planning
It Works When We Want It To
November 8th, 2021 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Most systems “work” as we intend when enough people want them to. Those people cooperate with the system and one another. Democracy works because people want it to. There is much freedom in democratic systems. That freedom works because people want it to. People realize the value of the freedom and don’t […]
Tags: Accountability · Agreement · General Systems Thinking · Respect · Trust