Working Up

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

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Their Point of View

November 3rd, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips An old book refreshes how to write to someone else. I recently found an old book—old meaning 40 years old. “How to use the power of the printed word” was published in 1985. It comprises a dozen essays from famous folks of that day about writing and reading and such. I am […]

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Tags: Clarity · Communication · Other · People · Writing

Predictable (yikes!)

October 23rd, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips It isn’t flattering to understand that what I do is quite predictable. Ah these AI chattering bots—they are amazing. Type a question, they call it a prompt, in plain English and out pops answers, sometimes as long as books, in plain English. This is amazing! Well, the software looks at a bunch […]

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Tags: Analysis · Artificial Intelligence · Context · Jobs · Problems · Work · Writing

A Little-Better Prompt

October 20th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Here is an attempt to gain value from a chattering bot by wording the prompt a little differently. These chattering bots are everywhere. Some value is gained while some skill is lost. I thought of a better prompt: Find, display the URL, and display a few sentences from three key commentaries regarding […]

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Tags: Alternatives · Artificial Intelligence · Clarity · Communication · Tools · Writing

Abbreviations

October 13th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Abbreviations have real purposes. Laziness is not one of them. I see many abbreviations these days. Most are acronyms (TBD, F/U/W, Apr, etc.) that are not expanded. Funny thing, I read in an authoritative book at some point in time that abbreviations were used for: Please note “to save typing when there […]

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Tags: Communication · Context · Energy · Vocabulary · Writing

Success Bringing Failure or at Least Anxiety: Wikipedia

October 9th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes success brings failure. Sometimes success brings anxiety. Note Wikipedia as an example. Back when Wikipedia was young (I am old enough to remember that), it was fun. I would write articles for it. I would put photographs in it to add some depth to some articles. Joy. Experiment. Learn. Then Wikipedia […]

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Tags: Chaos · Communication · Failure · Knowledge · Success · Wikipedia · Writing

I have a Great Idea for a Story…

October 6th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Do you have a great idea for a story? If you can write one sentence, there you go. “I have a great idea of a story,” said a a person who has a writer as a friend. The person continues with, “I will tell you the idea, you write the story, and […]

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Tags: Alternatives · Concepts · Ideas · Process · Stories · Writing

Simple Tools, Strong Emotions

September 8th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes the best pieces of writing are still from simple tools and strong emotions. I recently read yet another post from a writer about how in the world you can write while you are traveling or on vacation or something or other that perplexes those who attempt to write. Ten years ago […]

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Tags: Authentic · Communication · Notebook · Remote Work · Work · Writing

Reading the Fine Print

August 18th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We have to read the fine print to understand our agreements. Why, however, is there fine print? I was reading through a contract document recently. I missed several things, just a couple of words buried in a 100-page document. I guess we call those things “the fine print.” Gotta’ read the fine […]

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Tags: Agreement · Clarity · Concepts · Reading · Respect · Writing

“Rising Junior:” Yet Another Headache

August 11th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Common usage is incorrect, but, hey, what’s the problem? Yet another headache. My grandson is a “rising junior.” That means, and everyone in America understands this but me, that he is between his sophomore and junior years of high school. (And he’s 6’3″ tall which puts him far above me, but I […]

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Tags: Culture · Education · Knowledge · Language · Meaning · Reading · Writing

Listen to Me NOT dat-information

July 14th, 2025 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips There is too much talk out there online. Companies should block that so people can read reliable sources. I know just the source for them. The Internet cost$ nothing. Well, a few dollars a month to Xfinity or someone or something, but really, the cost is nothing. I can access all sorts […]

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Tags: Analysis · Censorship · Information · Publishing · Teaching · Writing