X : Are your maps disposable?
Me : Eh? Odd question. Maps are imperfect representations of a space, they are a perception of what exists. That perception has value in a pre-mortem, post mortem fashion.
X : Explain?
Me : Ok, ...
... your map is imperfect, you challenge and argue over it to come to a consenus (pre mortem challenge), you act and afterwards you review the map and what happened in post mortem. This is how we learn, how we make better maps ...
... it doesn't matter that the map is imperfect, it's what we use to learn from. It's how we made better geographical maps. We didn't start with ordinance survey maps.
X : Imperfect maps have value?
Me : Always. It's a record of your perception at that time ...
... the real value of mapping is in the discussion around maps but if you want to improve that discussion over time then the artefacts i.e. the maps are an essential part of that. You won't progress and learn if you keep throwing things away and starting again with a blank sheet.
X : But the real value is in the discussion?
Me : Of course. The discussion around the map.
X : But the maps themselves have value in improving that discussion.
Me : Yes. Imperfect maps lead to better maps which leads to better discussion.
X : I thought we should just throw it away after we've used it.
Me : You can do but you'll find it hard to learn and make better maps if you don't keep them and don't review them with what happened. You'll be forever starting with a blank sheet. That's not a way to learn.
X : What do you use?
Me : I quite like onlinewardleymaps.com ... but I use a mix of different tools including Miro and taking pictures of whiteboards.
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To explain why ... people often ask me about creating a pioneer, settler and town planner structure - blog.gardeviance.org/2015/03/on-pio… ... and the first thing I ask them to do is, check your doctrine ...
... the reason for this is fairly simple. If you attempt to put in place a pioneer, settler and town planner structure without having built the foundations (i.e. those guiding principles, the doctrine) then you are highly likely to fail and fail badly ...
X : Have you played Cyberpunk 2077.
Me : I have
X : And?
Me : Enormous potential ... wasted by launching far too early. It's going to be a long slog for them to recover but if they stick at it then it could be great.
X : How long?
Me : A couple of years at least ...
... a lot depends upon them getting the modding community behind them. They need to work on that, building a community, providing tools. Not sure they're really geared up for that and they have so many issues to sort out with the game. So close to greatness but yet ... so far.
X : Multiplayer? Third person perspective?
Me : If you want to waste time, I'm sure some will be glad. They need to build out the immersion aspect, the story, fix the AI, fix ... oh, gosh ... so much. But the potential is there to build something truly amazing. Won't be easy.
X : You're not a fan of the conservatives?
Me : Of this Gov? No but that doesn't mean that they they don't make positive steps or focus on user needs. Take buses - gov.uk/government/new… ... this is smart.
... or take the proposed nationalisation of British rail and the reforms there - gov.uk/government/new… - or the investment in networks - gov.uk/government/new… ... there are lots of good moves.
X : So, why aren't you a fan?
Me : The difference between old labour (which I am) and one nation tory is mostly hair splitting. This Gov however dresses up as one nation, it has a lot of questions to answer on integrity, financial prudence, lack of challenge etc.
UK Treasury plans for £180 investment per person on green recovery and jobs “a drop in the ocean” compared with USA (£2,960pp), Italy (£1,390pp), Canada (£870pp), France (£710pp) and Germany (£600pp) - envirotecmagazine.com/2021/06/01/uk-…
UK lags US (£1,600 per pupil), Netherlands (£2,500 per pupil) etc in Education Recovery Plan (UK, £310 per pupil) -
Gavin Williamson tells LBC 'no corners have been cut' on education recovery plan - lbc.co.uk/news/gavin-wil… ... fair enough, they left the corners and cut out everything in between ...
X : Why is it more difficult to get a job, if you don't have a job?
Me : Daisy Chains.
X : Eh?
Me : Recruiters like you to have a job, so they can plan to fill your job when they put you in the new role. They create a daisy chain of people where they all shift one role ...
... the recruiters make money on every shift. It has nothing to do with your ability / capability for the role, it's just if you don't have a job then you break the chain and are less attractive to the recruitment company.
X : But I could be the best person.
Me : And?
X : Surely recruitment is about finding the best person for the role?
Me : That's called marketing. There are a few (and I mean, a few) exceptions.
X : Do you ever get bored of research?
Me : Nope. I got bored being a CEO, being a CIO, being a VP ... I get bored easily. Research is fun, hard and always interesting. Why?
X : Well, I just wondered what was next?
Me : Oh, more research. It's amazing how little we know.
X : Well, how about building a research team?
Me : Hmmm ... I sense an agenda. But why would I do that?
X : You could do more research.
Me : No, I could replace research with more management and the team would do more research. That doesn't sound fun.
... so instead, I keep a lot of my stuff open and create a community which I help guide towards self management. It enables more research into mapping whilst creating interesting discussion points and minimising my need to do any management or leadership thing, Perfect.