Working Up

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

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Throw Away or Put Away (for now)

July 22nd, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We don’t have to “throw away” or discard ideas. We can always put them in a place to visit later. I have lots of ideas for writing, speaking, and generally contemplating. I don’t always have the time to use the ideas right now. That is fine. I save them for later, i.e., […]

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Tags: Communication · Ideas · Journal · Knowledge · Library · Notebook · Writing

Nouns or Verbs, Things or Actions

June 14th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The words we use most often provide some indication of our selves. Try some experiments. Learn. Adjust. Try this: right now, write ten words on whatever is in front of you. Napkin. Table cloth. Back of your hand. How many of those ten are nouns? How many are verbs? This one is […]

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Tags: Communication · Experiment · Ideas · Language · Patterns · Play · Self

Clarifying the Message (do we want to do that?)

April 29th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips There is a risk to clarifying the message relative to an idea. We many learn that the idea is a bad one. I have an idea. I have a message. My message is fuzzy, not good. I want to clarify my message. Really? If my idea is a bad one, clarifying the […]

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Tags: Clarity · Communication · Ideas

Internet Discussion Chaos and Semi-Public Groups

April 1st, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Where will we go for discourse on the Internet? Semi-public groups for forums work. I like Seth Godin’s recent short essay on trust and how folks use the Internet. Godin described the early (1970s) online interaction as, “Because each of these groups were high-trust communities, it was easy to conclude that the […]

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Tags: Adults · Conversation · Ideas · Internet · Respect · Talk · Trust · Vocabulary

The Next (Logical) Question

March 25th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The path to solution is often found in the next (logical) question. Person A: How much will this cost? Person B: I don’t know? Person A: When will you know? Person B: Uh, I don’t know that either? Person A: What will you need to do so that you know? Person B: […]

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Tags: Ideas · Learning · Planning · Questions

Standing on My Own Shoulders (?)

March 4th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips I am pretty good at standing on the shoulders of others. Can I learn to stand on my own shoulders? I am pretty good at standing on the shoulders of others’. 1 Someone else works, works, and works to arrive at something. Whew. They are exhausted. 2 I read it. Aha! How […]

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Tags: Analysis · Growth · Ideas · Learning

Let Me Explain Myself, Then I Might Understand Myself

March 1st, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips There is much good in the act of sitting down with another person and explaining to them what I think I am doing. It isn’t always easy to explain to another person what I am about to do. It is, however, a good use of time. That act usually shows me what […]

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Tags: Communication · Concepts · Ideas · Talk · Visibility

Can I have a Flat, Horizontal Surface, Please?

February 15th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The flat, horizontal surface is a natural. Home architects know their value. The designers of automobile interiors, however, seem to be living on another planet. In automobiles, the dash (the area above the displays) is curved and sloped. Flat surfaces don’t exist. So where do I set something that I want to […]

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Tags: Concepts · Design · Fun · Ideas · Improvement

Skimming and Diving

December 28th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes we skim the surface to gather an overview. Sometimes we dive in deep to discover the details. I like an overview. I like the nitty gritty details. Which do we like? On which day? For me, the overview is easier. I learn the general idea. I tell people that “all I […]

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Tags: Concepts · Energy · Fear · Ideas · Technology

I’m Glad 2020 is Over

November 16th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The year 2020 got you down? Declare it over. Person A: I’m glad 2020 is over! Person B: Huh, we have another 6 or 8 weeks of 2020 to go. Person A: No, 2020 is over, gone. We’re in 2021 now. Person B: Huh, we, uh, what? Person A: 2020 is gone. […]

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Tags: Calendar · Choose · History · Ideas · Myth · Reaction