Working Up

Working Up in Project Management, Systems Engineering, Technology, and Writing

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Looking for Good Ideas (In the Wrong Places)

December 19th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes the good ideas are lurking in the wrong places. Looking for good ideas? Look at bad sources. Read a crummy book. In it I will find, “Now that sentence there is a good idea for a book or something. Why didn’t this person write the book about that instead of the […]

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Tags: Ideas · Learning · Mistakes · Process · Resources · Stories · Stupid · Thinking · Visibility

Story Quilters

December 12th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips An age-old method of writing long pieces comes from writing short pieces without a plan or outline. The “outline” comes later. I recently stumbled across a description of writers as Story Quilters. This is not a method of planning or outlining a large piece before writing anything. This is not a method […]

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Tags: Alternatives · Communication · Experiment · Ideas · Improvement · Stories · Writing

AI Assistant (Nothing New Here)

October 28th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Here come the AI assistants. They will do amazing things for us. Nothing new here. We’ve had these for decades. Nice, but not new. I’ve seen several AI assistants recently. They are usually called “agents.” Well, “agent” is shorter and easier to spell than “assistant,” so I guess that is an improvement. […]

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Tags: Artificial Intelligence · Ideas · Problems · Software · Solutions · Technology

Little Steps to Nonsense

October 14th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Yes, we accept a few things that aren’t great, but that’s okay. When, however, is enough enough? Okay, we know this isn’t correct, but let’s let this little one slide in because it will make for peace in the big picture. You know, let someone see their idea implemented. They will feel […]

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Tags: Ideas · Management · Problems · Stupid · Thinking

The Inner Circle Versus Too Many People in the Room

September 2nd, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We can have too many people in the room to discuss something. We can also become locked in an inner circle where no one else understands what we are doing. There should be a balance. There are too many people in the room: Twenty people (pick a number) is too many. There […]

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Tags: Analysis · Communication · Concepts · Ideas · Management · Meetings

It’s All Written Except for the Words

August 15th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips I have a concept, an idea, just the right thing. Now “all I have to do” is put it into words. I have a great idea. Here, you write it up and we’ll share the money.—Many a person who thinks they are a great thinker. A famous author (I can’t think of […]

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Tags: Concepts · Ideas · Thinking · Work · Writing

Impractical

August 8th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips This is impractical. Still, someone wants to do it with their own resources. Please, do it. I want to write a novel. Why? We already have a zillion novels. Go to the library and read a few. I want to make a movie. Why? We already have a zillion movies. Go to […]

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Tags: Energy · Experiment · Ideas · Practice · Resources · Writing

Intentional: A Word Without Meaning

April 4th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips To be intentional is to do something that you intended to do. I guess that is better than doing something accidentally or unintentionally. Yet, it has no meaning. To be intentional is to do something that you intended to do. It is to do something on purpose. Eating is intentional. I eat […]

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Tags: Choose · Communication · Decide · Ideas · Purpose · Reframe

Philosophy and Reality

March 14th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Philosophy and utopia are great until reality punches everything in the nose—philosophically speaking of course. Philosophical discussions are great. They may stretch the mind to see other points of view or possibilities. They may lead to better ways. Philosophy, however, is philosophy and not reality. We need to keep that in mind. […]

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Tags: Culture · Experiment · Fable · Greed · History · Ideas · Reality · Technical Debt

The AI Pencil

February 12th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips I share an idea for a manual writing instrument that I had several decades ago. Today’s technology might be ready for it. Several decades ago, I had this idea for a pencil, pen, or white board marker. I shared the idea with a few smart folks. Nothing became of it as the […]

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Tags: Artificial Intelligence · Ideas · Meetings · Technology · Writing