word checker

Jul 112014

I am going through my mindmap maps and came across a ‘Word Checker’ list. I must have extracted the list from somewhere/someone, but the source of reference is missing. Oops!

does it mean what we intend?

does it have any other meaning?

if so, does the context make the intended meaning clear?

does the word have more than one pronunciation that might be confused?

is there any word of similar pronunciation that might be confused?

is simpler word or phrase suggested either in dictionary or in a thesaurus

more of the same

Extracts, Questions No Responses »

Jul 062014

Problems are created and maintained through the mishandling of difficulties.

Difficulties mean an undesirable state of affairs which either can be resolved through some common-sense action (usually the first-order change type)for which no special problem solving skills are necessary. More frequently an undesirable but usually quite common life situation for which there exists no known solution and which – at least for the time being – must simply be lived with.

Problems when referring to impasses, deadlocks, knots etc, which are created and maintained through the mishandling of difficulties.

There are basically three ways in which this mishandling can occur;
A) A solution is attempted by denying that a problem is a problem; action is necessary, but is not taken

B) Change is attempted regarding a difficulty which for all practical purposes is either unchangeable or nonexistent; action is taken when it should not be

C) An error in logical typing is committed and a Game Without End established. This may occure either by attempting a first-order change in a situation which can be changed only from the next higher logical level, or conversely, by attempting second-order change when a first-order change would be appropriate (e.g. when people demand changes of ‘attitude’ and are not content with changes of behaviour); action is taken at the wrong level

Taken from the book: Change principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution by Paul Watzlawick et al. Chapter 3 “More of the same” or, when the solution becomes the problem.

Which type of mishandling would closely describe the Target breach case?

One account of the Target case is described in this article

principles of problem formation and problem resolution

Extracts No Responses »

Jul 032014

Do I make decision based on well-formed or clearly identified problems and risky choices listed?

No time to reflect on such question!

Being a Buddhist by choice and by birth right, I am always looking for ways to live my life more in tune with my chosen way. So how do I do my PhD following my chosen way?. I prefer the word ‘way’ to ‘law/rules/policies’ or anything that resembles ‘rigidity to the extreme’ or anything that involves little respect for human and our environment. Also, the word ‘way’ brings me closer to the ‘way of the Tao’.

I came across a four-step procedure in a book, CHANGE Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution by Paul Watzlawick, et al. The steps on page 110 are;
1) a clear definition of the problem in concrete terms;
2) an investigation of the solutions attempted so far;
3) a clear definition of the concrete change to be achieved;
4) the formulation and implementation of a plan to produce this change.

In the book, the footnote for this four-step procedure has this;
“Only long after we had systematized our approach in this way did we realize that we had, without blasphemic malice aforethought, plagiarized the four Noble Truths of Buddhism, namely: of suffering, of the origin of suffering, of the cessation of suffering, and of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. On reflection this is not too surprising since the basic teachings of Buddhism are eminently practical and existential.”

The Problem

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Jul 032014

The Problem is ‘the problem’.

What is the problem space of my research? More concretely, what exactly is my research question?

I started pondering this question back in early January 2014 and now it is early July 2014.
What is my problem in getting to my research question?

Well, for the past 2 months I got interrupted and distracted (yet again!) by having to find new supervisors. My Cass supervisor left Cass Business School, and my main supervisor in Computer Science department in the School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering (newly combined school) left City at the end of June. It has been quite a frustrating experience in many ways. I now know why students move with their supervisors, if they have the choice. I don’t have the choice (I am funded by the Computer Science department) so it boils down to finding supervisors that want to supervisor me, and also interested in my topic of interests.

Hopefully I don’t have to go through another drama involving change of supervisors, as I don’t want to have to change my research topic and interests. My problem space involves not just finding my research question but how to remain in the research space I want to work on. Doing a PhD research is dealing and coping with change, nothing new or profound. The biggest problem is I am losing time, and this is probably my biggest challenge as I can’t turn back the clock.

Back to now…

What is my research question?

I am aware that a thesis or research outcome has to have ‘depth and substance’. I started off early this year planning on doing a multidisciplinary research. Now I am struggling to find a way to do this, partly because of the change of supervisors, and mostly because multidisciplinary research across schools just don’t work. The University just don’t have the structure to facilitate or encourage multidisciplinary research. Having gone through the process of finding supervisors from different schools highlighted the sad state of affairs. So, I have no choice but to change focus by removing aspects of my research interests.

I am still particularly drawn to social technical issues, issues involving technology and law especially matters with data protection and privacy in the context of organisation business environment. For my research space, technology falls into my solution space not in my problem space.

My problem space is organisations in cyberspace and their relationships in cyberspace and the issues with data loss and data breach.