The aims of this endeavor
We struggle to negotiate our way through an atmosphere of Utopian promises and dystopian threats, a minefield studded with pots of treasure - Brian Eno
Brian Eno’s words capture the complexity of our modern world—enticing opportunities mingled with daunting obstacles. This blog is an exploration of practical techniques to navigate the maze of institutional entropy and reformist zeal with clarity and purpose.
Despite the marvels of virtualization, the objects and services of our physical world seem to constantly fray. Everyday improvements come, if they come at all, after the costs of delays, rising expenses, and diminishing returns. We once said, 'faster, better, cheaper: pick two.' But now, reality often feels more like, 'slower, shoddier, more expensive: all trending down, deal with it.’ What's driving this shift? That’s what I intend to offer thoughts about.
Exploring the roots of these trends must begin with a consideration of its context:
Every design problem begins with an effort to achieve fitness between two entities: the form in question and its context…
When we speak of design, the real object of discussion is not the form alone, but the ensemble comprising the form and its context. Good fit is a desired property of this ensemble which relates to some particular division of the ensemble into form and context.
- Alexander, Christopher. Notes on the Synthesis of Form.
The overarching context we operate within is itself often chaotic; our lives are more complicated than we'd like, and the promises of quick redemption typically offered by many thought leaders often disappoint. Why?
Tyler Cowen famously said, “Context is what is scarce”; by implication, while context has excellent value, it rarely is given its due. With that in mind, the hope for my writings is to shine light on the context of our fraying environment. I seek to encourage an upward aim towards progress, rather than despair. I hope to bundle that with a way to re-think our situations realistically and constructively. I expect to write about to real situations and experiences, including examples from my career that reinforce my propositions.
Diagnosing problems isn’t easy, because even simple things are more complicated than outward appearances indicate. It’s worth reflecting on a classic video describing the challenges involved in making a simple pencil, as Milton Friedman describes:
If making a pencil is complicated, combating disease and building aircraft (the two endeavors that have filled the bulk of my professional life) are demonstrably orders of magnitude and kind more complex, and thus present an even more chaotic environment from which to attempt progress. Much of what I hope to explain herein is why this complexity has arisen and sketch a different orientation that I believe will be helpful in dealing with it.
Meanwhile, sweeping interventions - from industry, government, and corporate policies - often seem to deepen the problems they aim to solve. We claim fidelity to truth, yet embellishments and dismissal of valid critique have become routine. Even with the infusion of best practices - which have deep roots in my family1 - results often disappoint. Can we do better?
What adventures might qualify me to offer insight to others in this exploration? My journey has been anything but predictable. From a sheltered childhood on a dairy farm, I dabbled in medical treatment and research until I fell in love with software - a means of transforming conceptual ideas into concrete reality. I continue to embrace its problems, practices, and pursuits to this day, through the many shifts in technology from punched cards to AI vibes. Each twist and turn in my journey - whether in aerospace, education, or medicine - has shaped my understanding of the essential ingredients for progress. Along the way, I’ve worn many hats: technician, scientist, executive, and fellow wanderer, collecting lessons on what works and what doesn’t along the way.
These experiences have blessed me with unique perspectives that are drawn from increasingly turbulent times and given me the audacity to thoughtfully consider novel ways of thinking about progress in such environments. I’d like others to benefit from these experiences and hope those who find this useful will provide me with constructive feedback to help me refine these ideas further.
Since my reach is broad, I aspire to an audience that is motivated to improve things. The material is targeted at those curious about systems, agencies, and behaviors, and willing to invest time in exploration and understanding of the innate nature of these ideas, so that efforts can be applied productively.
I want SwiftSure.pro to be more than just a reflection on my past experiences. In this place, you should find principles for sustainable progress, fresh ways of thinking, and a roadmap toward navigating complexity with confidence. Most of my writings will be long form, but I’ll provide guideposts to help you navigate these expressions, break up more complex topics into separate articles, and cross-link topics to reinforce the build-up from foundations to action.
I hope these writings will interest, encourage, and inspire you. You can count on me to:
offer a unique perspective gained from over forty years of riding waves of technological revolutions, economic and political uncertainty, and diverse ways of working
introduce a new paradigm for thinking about, organizing, and pursuing worthwhile endeavors big and small
animate this paradigm through models and simulations which demonstrate the value of this set of viewpoints
provide links to supporting materials that establish the foundations for my arguments2
strive for consistency, clarity, and helpful insights in my communications
deliver my ideas incrementally as inspiration unfolds and as my own interests and those of my co-travelers converge
The writings herein are my opinions alone, and are offered in the spirit of humility, drawn from the grace and wisdom gifted to me by many others, and with gratitude for the many adventures that have fueled my unquenchable curiosity. I offer them in the hope that they may enrich other like-minded travelers as well.
My mother’s youngest of eight sibling, and my favorite uncle, is David I Cleland, generally recognized as the ‘father of project management’ by the Project Management Institute.
My primary referenced sources are the many books I’ve consumed (which I provide curated highlights for), articles, and occasional social media posts, where relevant.