Working Up

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

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Specific and Thinking

March 10th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips I find it good to be specific. There are, however, times when being specific limits thinking, and that is not good. Precise, concrete, and specific: three concepts that are good for writing and communication. I try to remember these things that were burned into me in my first semester of college way […]

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Tags: Alternatives · Choose · Communication · Improvement · Influence · Thinking

Remember Carbon Nanotubes?

March 3rd, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Every generation seems to have its magic technology just about to burst on the scene and doing something wonderful and financially rewarding. Most of the time, nothing happens. Back in the early years of this century, carbon nanotubes were the thing to discuss. We were to build computers thinner than a piece […]

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Tags: General Systems Thinking · History · Technology · Thinking

Discovery Writing

February 27th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Writing is a type of thinking. Thinking often leads us to discover something. Writing (thinking) is worth the effort. Writers often divide their methods into two camps: outlining and “pantsing” (seat of the pants). Those who use outlines think ahead, plan, create detailed outlines, then write by filling in the outlines. Those […]

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Tags: Ideas · Thinking · Writing

Popular Ceremonies

February 17th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes we hold popular ceremonies without thought. Doing just about anything without thought can be fraught with peril. There are many popular ceremonies among those of use who build systems. One of those is the daily standup meeting. I could go on with a long list of these. Are we using these […]

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Tags: Agility · Choose · Magic · Management · Thinking

We’re Not Paying You to Be a Typist

February 10th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips One of the reasons to use these chattering bot word generators is simply to stop wasting time. A typist is a professional who specializes in accurately and efficiently converting information into digital format. This may involve transcribing handwritten notes, audio recordings, or printed documents into electronic files. They also possess strong data […]

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Tags: Authentic · Change · Communication · Questions · Thinking · Work · Writing

Gap Analysis: Beware

February 6th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Analyzing the gap between what we have and what we need is a good practice. Beware, however, that it doesn’t stop people from thinking and focus them on the same old thing. “Gap analysis is a systematic method used to identify the differences between an organization’s current state and its desired future […]

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Tags: Analysis · General Systems Thinking · Requirements · Research · Resources · Systems · Thinking

Not My Fault Either

January 6th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes the better thing to do is accept whatever the situation and move to the next step. Person A: It’s not my fault. Person B: It’s not my fault, either. Person A: Whose fault is it? Person B: Let’s accept that it isn’t either one of our faults and move to the […]

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Tags: Accountability · Alternatives · Choose · Decide · Thinking

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

Trying to Hire Someone Who Already Works Here

November 21st, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips I encounter this situation often when reading the Help Wanted ads (the kind we have today online). The job description and requirements are far too specific. I have experience being unemployed and trying to find a new job. I don’t like the experience, but I learn a few things now and then. […]

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Tags: Analysis · General Systems Thinking · Jobs · Thinking · Work

The Event and the Reaction

November 4th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Tomorrow is our national election day. As with almost everything, it is not the event, it is the reaction. A little research shows that I have written on this topic several times. I do so again as I think it is important. Tomorrow is our national election day in America. Millions of […]

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Tags: America · Choose · Ethics · Event · Reaction · Thinking