It really is comical how consistently foundation work has been taken for granted. It's about time we start putting value in the right place again—in the people who understand the problem, think critically, and create quality conditions for execution.
Cal, you break it down so incisivley, and you articulate it in a way that's understandable. 👏🏽
I love this Cal, it is so true. I see this mostly as a combination of critical thinking and systems thinking, people who are able to visualise the whole playing field, and see how they are all interconnected, and what would happen to other side if something changed.
I think a combination of them helps you frame the problem better.
what do you think someone posses outside of accumulated experience that makes them good at upstream part?
also love the analogy with the woodworking. this kind of work was always there but was tacit, vague, and not named. Now it is made visible.
Completely agree, and maybe critical path analysis is worth adding to that combination too? The ability to see which constraint, if removed, releases the most downstream value.
I think the woodwork analogy holds on your experience point because an apprentice traditionally starts by making simple jigs, rather than working on the actual piece. It teaches them what precision requires before you're trusted with the material.
And the master toolsmith isn't the most experienced carpenter in the workshop. They're the one who understood that the workshop itself is the product. That's about orientation, not just time at work.
It really is comical how consistently foundation work has been taken for granted. It's about time we start putting value in the right place again—in the people who understand the problem, think critically, and create quality conditions for execution.
Cal, you break it down so incisivley, and you articulate it in a way that's understandable. 👏🏽
I love this Cal, it is so true. I see this mostly as a combination of critical thinking and systems thinking, people who are able to visualise the whole playing field, and see how they are all interconnected, and what would happen to other side if something changed.
I think a combination of them helps you frame the problem better.
what do you think someone posses outside of accumulated experience that makes them good at upstream part?
also love the analogy with the woodworking. this kind of work was always there but was tacit, vague, and not named. Now it is made visible.
Completely agree, and maybe critical path analysis is worth adding to that combination too? The ability to see which constraint, if removed, releases the most downstream value.
I think the woodwork analogy holds on your experience point because an apprentice traditionally starts by making simple jigs, rather than working on the actual piece. It teaches them what precision requires before you're trusted with the material.
And the master toolsmith isn't the most experienced carpenter in the workshop. They're the one who understood that the workshop itself is the product. That's about orientation, not just time at work.