The bad thing about having good memory is that, along with all the good things remembered, you also remember the mistakes.
Wait...
Maybe that isn't a bad thing. We are supposed to learn from our mistakes, right? How can we do that without first knowing the mistakes and remembering them?
~ Danial Goodwin ~
Showing posts with label know. Show all posts
Showing posts with label know. Show all posts
2013-11-13
2013-07-17
Things People Should Know: Parkinson's Law Of Triviality
(For people that have to work in groups or have a "project manager")
Also sometimes referred to as the "Bike Shed Problem" or "bikeshedding".
This is the newest phenomenon that I have added to my great list of Things People Should Know. It is not a new concept (first mentioned in 1957) and I have known about it for awhile, but recently I have been noticing it more.
What is the Bike Shed Problem? Let me provide an example: (From Parkinson's book, as quoted in Wikipedia)
So, now that you know about Parkinson's Law Of Triviality, hopefully you will be able to better recognize when others do it and when you do it yourself. It is a natural thing to want to give input when you can, but don't let it become a hindrance to getting the most important things done.
If you know ultimately that a feature really doesn't matter, then make sure you work on the important stuff first. Also, be aware, don't always think you know better than others.
More Reading:
- Coding Horror
- Wikipedia
~ Simply Advanced ~
Also sometimes referred to as the "Bike Shed Problem" or "bikeshedding".
This is the newest phenomenon that I have added to my great list of Things People Should Know. It is not a new concept (first mentioned in 1957) and I have known about it for awhile, but recently I have been noticing it more.
What is the Bike Shed Problem? Let me provide an example: (From Parkinson's book, as quoted in Wikipedia)
In the third chapter, "High Finance, or the Point of Vanishing Interest", Parkinson writes about a finance committee meeting with a three-item agenda.
The first is the signing of a £10 million contract to build a reactor, the second a proposal to build a £350 bicycle shed for the clerical staff, and the third proposes £21 a year to supply refreshments for the Joint Welfare Committee.
The £10 million number is too big and too technical, and it passes in two minutes and a half.
The bicycle shed is a subject understood by the board, and the amount within their life experience, so committee member Mr. Softleigh says that an aluminium roof is too expensive and they should use asbestos. Mr. Holdfast wants galvanized iron. Mr. Daring questions the need for the shed at all. Mr. Holdfast disagrees.
Parkinson then writes: "The debate is fairly launched. A sum of £350 is well within everybody's comprehension. Everyone can visualize a bicycle shed. Discussion goes on, therefore, for forty-five minutes, with the possible result of saving some £50. Members at length sit back with a feeling of accomplishment."
Parkinson then described the third agenda item, writing: "There may be members of the committee who might fail to distinguish between asbestos and galvanized iron, but every man there knows about coffee – what it is, how it should be made, where it should be bought – and whether indeed it should be bought at all. This item on the agenda will occupy the members for an hour and a quarter, and they will end by asking the Secretary to procure further information, leaving the matter to be decided at the next meeting."
So, now that you know about Parkinson's Law Of Triviality, hopefully you will be able to better recognize when others do it and when you do it yourself. It is a natural thing to want to give input when you can, but don't let it become a hindrance to getting the most important things done.
If you know ultimately that a feature really doesn't matter, then make sure you work on the important stuff first. Also, be aware, don't always think you know better than others.
More Reading:
- Coding Horror
- Wikipedia
~ Simply Advanced ~
2013-06-05
A Few Notes On Entrepreneuring
(The following list of notes on entrepreneuring and businesses are in no particular order. I probably could have titled this "Things to know/remember when building your business".)
Difference between a service company and a product company: The first is easily scalable.
Build something that does one thing really well.
Difference between a huge market and the right market.
Experience+knowledge >> knowledge. (Read: Experience and knowledge is much greater than just knowledge.)
"The trend is your friend" when asking for venture capital. Current trends: mobile, cloud, big data, and social.
--
Describe your service/product better. Better doesn't mean specific, it means making an impression. Ex: My service is the oracle of big data. The words you should use evolve with time and with usage by others. The best copy now should use just one of the following: comprehensive, genuine, convenient, accessible, prestigious, premier, pioneers, quality, we obsolete .
Other terms should be purposely excluded because they are either overused, not true, or sound templated: innovative, groundbreaking, fresh, leader, unique. It is tough to know which words to stay away from; you don't want to make people doubtful and put their defenses up. One tip is to keep up-to-date with everything investors, businesses, and consumers see.
I have much more to say about this, but it could take up at least two more long blog posts. Here's a small list of currently neutral descriptive words for your business: functional, effectively, revitalizes, the original. "My business is a multinational corporation" could mean that I run a website.)
--
Descriptions should appeal to each of the senses. (Copy is very important)
There are always tradeoffs. Know them.
"People who get MBAs learn how to draw timelines."
The ability to communicate effectively is your strongest asset.
When building for businesses, the ultimate goal is to either raise revenue or reduce costs.
"Engineers are not hired to create programs, they are hired to create business value."
Any more quick thoughts? What are your first thoughts? Then what are your second thoughts?
~ Simply Advanced ~
Difference between a service company and a product company: The first is easily scalable.
Build something that does one thing really well.
Difference between a huge market and the right market.
Experience+knowledge >> knowledge. (Read: Experience and knowledge is much greater than just knowledge.)
"The trend is your friend" when asking for venture capital. Current trends: mobile, cloud, big data, and social.
--
Describe your service/product better. Better doesn't mean specific, it means making an impression. Ex: My service is the oracle of big data. The words you should use evolve with time and with usage by others. The best copy now should use just one of the following: comprehensive, genuine, convenient
Other terms should be purposely excluded because they are either overused, not true, or sound templated: innovative, groundbreaking, fresh, leader, unique. It is tough to know which words to stay away from; you don't want to make people doubtful and put their defenses up. One tip is to keep up-to-date with everything investors, businesses, and consumers see.
I have much more to say about this, but it could take up at least two more long blog posts. Here's a small list of currently neutral descriptive words for your business: functional, effectively, revitalizes, the original. "My business is a multinational corporation" could mean that I run a website.)
--
Descriptions should appeal to each of the senses. (Copy is very important)
There are always tradeoffs. Know them.
"People who get MBAs learn how to draw timelines."
The ability to communicate effectively is your strongest asset.
When building for businesses, the ultimate goal is to either raise revenue or reduce costs.
"Engineers are not hired to create programs, they are hired to create business value."
Any more quick thoughts? What are your first thoughts? Then what are your second thoughts?
~ Simply Advanced ~
2013-04-03
Read to Know, Read to Comprehend
I like analyzing, including things that most others would not care about. There is a difference between reading to know and reading to comprehend.
With our busy lives, we usually just have time to skim read so that we can move on to the next thing. Reading to know is a good thing when used at the right times.
If you are "learning"/reading about a topic related to your area of business or where you want to be considered an expert in, then you must read to comprehend. Read the information and the information that it links to.
~ Simply Advanced ~
ps - I got bored halfway though this and decided to make it much shorter that what it was originally going to be.
With our busy lives, we usually just have time to skim read so that we can move on to the next thing. Reading to know is a good thing when used at the right times.
If you are "learning"/reading about a topic related to your area of business or where you want to be considered an expert in, then you must read to comprehend. Read the information and the information that it links to.
~ Simply Advanced ~
ps - I got bored halfway though this and decided to make it much shorter that what it was originally going to be.
2012-09-28
"Don't Know" When I Do Know
Sometimes,
I answer a question with "I don't know" even though I may know the answer. It is a subconscious question, "Does it really matter?" and an unconscious implicit "It doesn't matter." I never really knew about these types of questions until I thought of it today. This is just a continuation of me trying to harness my subconscious mind by having the ability to think with it more. Meta-thought is where it's at.
Other times,
Explicitness is more beneficial, "I believe you know the answer if you think about it a little more."
~ Simply Advanced ~
I answer a question with "I don't know" even though I may know the answer. It is a subconscious question, "Does it really matter?" and an unconscious implicit "It doesn't matter." I never really knew about these types of questions until I thought of it today. This is just a continuation of me trying to harness my subconscious mind by having the ability to think with it more. Meta-thought is where it's at.
Other times,
Explicitness is more beneficial, "I believe you know the answer if you think about it a little more."
~ Simply Advanced ~
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