Working Up

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

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Adventures in Medicare and Other Systems Thinking Principles

October 21st, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips It is only healthcare and security in old age. Not very important, huh? In the recent past, I joined Medicare (yes, I am that old). Let’s see, just go to a government website, fill in the blanks, and viola’. Well, being a technically savvy person, I did that, or tried that. All […]

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Tags: Design · Error · General Systems Thinking · Government · Management · People · Systems

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

Water Flows Downhill

October 7th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The aftermath of Hurricane Helene in the mountains of the east coast reminds us of a basic. Hurricane Helene hit the Gulf Coast of Florida recently. It hit the coast hard. The worst damage and the most deaths, however, occurred in the mountains up the east coast of the US. This is […]

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Tags: Adapting · Economics · Management · People · Planning

Permission

September 5th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes, the one thing needed for a person to do something new and frightening is simply permission. Here is how to write a book: Simple? Yes. Works? Absolutely, I have done this about a dozen times. You start. When you reach the end, you stop. But what about…? Yes, we can ask […]

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Tags: Communication · Knowledge · Management · Permission · Resources

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

About the Other Day: Feedback

August 5th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Let’s review some basics on telling another person about something they do and did that affects me and us. The basis of this post comes from consultant and writer Esther Derby. Over the years, we’ve discussed this topic, and I have learned much. I hope to pass along some of Esther’s thoughts. […]

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Tags: Adapting · Change · Communication · Management · People · Talk

The Hero and the System We Really Use

July 1st, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes the system we really use is not the system we tell people we use. “This system won’t work,” said the person whose job it was to analyze a system. But, the system works, i.e., the group of persons using the system that won’t work seem to get along just fine. In […]

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Tags: Analysis · Fear · General Systems Thinking · Management · Systems

Over Organized

June 20th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes I find projects that are over organized. There is a good long-term reason for such. It still is a pain for the rest of us. I recently started working on a project that was over organized. The computer files were arranged by this criteria and that criteria and the other criteria. […]

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Tags: Adapting · Appearances · Clarity · General Systems Thinking · Management · Systems

Fly Under the Radar for a While

April 18th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Keep your earth-shattering new thing quiet for a while. Once it works, shout. This is basic risk management. Something has never been done before. That means it is difficult. I have a solution. I can do it or I think I can do it. The best practice, in my experience of doing […]

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Tags: Humility · Management · Process · Risk · Work

Unnecessary Headaches

March 25th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Some endeavors are so complicated that headaches are expected. Most endeavors, however, have headaches that are caused by the people involved and are unnecessary. Some endeavors are complicated. That is their nature. Concentration, lots of it, sometimes brings me a headache. I have worked in complicated endeavors and endured the natural and […]

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Tags: Alternatives · Choose · Competence · Health · Management · Problems · Stupid · Thinking