What Limits a System's Performance & What we might do?

 As a child I loved watching the trailing vortices of beautiful white plumes in the wake of commercial aircrafts flying majestically in the sky. I watched them as long as I could till the plumes gradually dissolved their presence into the blue sky.

Such vortices are strong, long and lingering. But, what might be the effect of such beautiful vortices on the system’s behaviour?

By the way, what system are we talking about?

The aircraft is a part of a much bigger system than we might immediately notice. The bigger system consists of the airport, the number of planes ready to take off or land, number of runways, air traffic control, signals, lights etc. These elements are well within our control or almost. However, some of the elements like atmospheric temperature, humidity, visibility are not within our control at all. 

We can easily understand that all these elements are interdependent on each other and produce a range of possible interactions between them. This we call as the "essence" of a system. The presence of this essence produces a range of behavior of a system that emerges in somewhat unpredictable or random manner. We call such possible and uncertain range or types of behavior (since we can't precisely predict) the 'emergence' of the system. Because of the 'essence' the 'emergence' takes place.

Obviously the essence and the emergence of a system effectively determines the behavior of the system and places an upper limit on a system’s performance.

Let us see how that might happen in the case of vortices generated by the interaction of an aircraft's movement and the wind?

These vortices stretch for miles across the sky trailing behind a large aircraft and endanger the planes that follow it or go across it by inducing drastic rolling moments, which might lead to the failure of the aircraft that follows or crosses the path of these vortices. Thus persistence and length of such vortices would govern the frequency of take off and landing of other planes in an airport. So, the 'essence' and the 'emergence' of the system determine the airport capacity and the limits of the system’s functioning and performance.

Now, if we want to improve the productivity of the airport in terms of number of take offs and landings we immediately recognize the inherent ‘imperfection’ in the given system. Recognition of such inherent imperfection (in terms of the objecive we would like to achieve) would automatically lead us to innovate or design solutions to either eliminate the ‘imperfections’ or avoid them in case imperfections can't be eliminated totally or monitor them if we have no other way but to live with them.

Such solutions might take the form of a concentrated research work to alleviate these swirling wakes or shorten the length of the wake or we might think of building or using alternative runways instead of relying on one or we might think of increasing the air traffic corridors etc.  In fact, most major airports in the world have now increased the number of runways and the air traffic corridors to improve system performance.

That might be all well for running commercial aircrafts. But what might we do to save aircrafts from accidents during an air show?

During such airshows aircrafts would be forced to fly parallel to each other to avoid the dangerous trap of vortices (as shown in the photograph).Perhaps we need very skilled and experience pilots to perform such feats.

Summary:

The steps that we followed were::

1. Observe the system as a whole (what are the elements that make the total system)

2. Understand the range of possible 'essence' (number of possible interactions happening over time)

3. Understand the set of related 'emergences' or behavior of the system (in relation to the essence)

4. Understand the present objective function or purpose of the system as of now and in the future.(since objective function/purpose changes over time)

5. Identify the inherent 'imperfection(s)' that limits the system to achieve the present objective.

6. Find or design solutions to eliminate the imperfectons or avoid the imperfection if the imperfection can be partially eliminated or monitor the imperfection if it is not possible to eliminate imperfection(s) at all.(all imperfections can't be solved and might have to be lived with, but we may do that in a better way rather than give up).

7. Observe changes in the system over time (in terms of essence, emergence and objectives)

8. Set new objectives and goals to harness uncertainty for productive use.

9. Respond with new solutions and check performance and/or behavior of the system over time.

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What Limits a System's Performance & Doing Something about it!

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 As a child I loved watching the trailing vortices of beautiful white plumes in the wake of commercial aircrafts flying majestically in the sky. I watched them as long as I could till the plumes gradually dissolved their presence into the blue sky.

Such vortices are strong, long and lingering. But, what might be the effect of such beautiful vortices on the system’s behaviour?

By the way, what system are we talking about?

The aircraft is a part of a much bigger system than we might immediately notice. The bigger system consists of the airport, the number of planes ready to take off or land, number of runways, air traffic control, signals, lights etc. These elements are well within our control or almost. However, some of the elements like atmospheric temperature, humidity, visibility are not within our control at all. 

We can easily understand that all these elements are interdependent on each other and produce a range of possible interactions between them. This we call as the "essence" of a system. The presence of this essence produces a range of behavior of a system that emerges in somewhat unpredictable or random manner. We call such possible and uncertain range or types of behavior (since we can't precisely predict) the 'emergence' of the system. Because of the 'essence' the 'emergence' takes place.

Obviously the essence and the emergence of a system effectively determines the behavior of the system and places an upper limit on a system’s performance.

Let us see how that might happen in the case of vortices generated by the interaction of an aircraft's movement and the wind?

These vortices stretch for miles across the sky trailing behind a large aircraft and endanger the planes that follow it or go across it by inducing drastic rolling moments, which might lead to the failure of the aircraft that follows or crosses the path of these vortices. Thus persistence and length of such vortices would govern the frequency of take off and landing of other planes in an airport. So, the 'essence' and the 'emergence' of the system determine the airport capacity and the limits of the system’s functioning and performance.

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Now, if we want to improve the productivity of the airport in terms of number of take offs and landings we immediately recognize the inherent ‘imperfection’ in the given system. Recognition of such inherent imperfection (in terms of the objecive we would like to achieve) would automatically lead us to innovate or design solutions to either eliminate the ‘imperfections’ or avoid them in case imperfections can't be eliminated totally or monitor them if we have no other way but to live with them.

Such solutions might take the form of a concentrated research work to alleviate these swirling wakes or shorten the length of the wake or we might think of building or using alternative runways instead of relying on one or we might think of increasing the air traffic corridors etc.  In fact, most major airports in the world have now increased the number of runways and the air traffic corridors to improve system performance.

That might be all well for running commercial aircrafts. But what might we do to save aircrafts from accidents during an air show?

During such airshows aircrafts would be forced to fly parallel to each other to avoid the dangerous trap of vortices (as shown in the photograph).Perhaps we need very skilled and experience pilots to perform such feats.

Summary:

The steps that we followed were::

1. Observe the system as a whole (what are the elements that make the total system)

2. Understand the range of possible 'essence' (number of possible interactions happening over time)

3. Understand the set of related 'emergences' or behavior of the system (in relation to the essence)

4. Understand the present objective function or purpose of the system as of now and in the future.(since objective function/purpose changes over time)

5. Identify the inherent 'imperfection(s)' that limits the system to achieve the present objective.

6. Find or design solutions to eliminate the imperfectons or avoid the imperfection if the imperfection can be partially eliminated or monitor the imperfection if it is not possible to eliminate imperfection(s) at all.(all imperfections can't be solved and might have to be lived with, but we may do that in a better way rather than give up).

7. Observe changes in the system over time (in terms of essence, emergence and objectives)

8. Set new objectives and goals to harness uncertainty for productive use.

9. Respond with new solutions and check performance and/or behavior of the system over time.

.

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Social Learning from Toyota to E2.0

Toyota engineers emphasize that learning how to use the know how database does not make a good engineer. This is not to say that engineering database is not useful for learning. Databases are primarily born out of experience of other engineers who found that exceeding certain limits might cause a problem.

Databases are tools to provide guidelines and ensure that the engineer or the designer does not forget the key points. It certainly helps training young engineers and designers but fails to create a great engineer. A database can only provide the limits on possible design solutions. It helps an engineer to know when not to exceed a limit or keep something at some minimum. It certainly does not make him creative.

At times, there is a need to exceed limits or change the structure to make the system as a whole function better. This obviously calls for better design thinking that would involve learning by doing through prototyping, extra testing and field studies. If this proves OK then the previous level of social or organizational learning jumps to a new level. This is something like a quantum jump that is reflected through changed fractals within the entire organization. 

If the organization stagnates at any particular level of learning, say by sticking to the database, then everyone learns the same thing and we would see the corresponding fractals of that learning in everything the organization does or produces. With a quantum leap in learning the fractals within the organization change immediately reflecting new learning. 

But how would that possibly happen?Possibly we may learn about this from Toyota.

Real engineering would remain a creative activity that would involve innovative thinking to solve problems or provide the desired functions to the customer while treating database constraints as standards.

Toyota places great emphasis on developing know-how over time by doing the work under the guidance of a mentor because it is the only way to develop the real creative power of the engineer. Over the years Toyota has developed such mentors within the rank and file of their organization.

But this poses a problem.

Most organizations are filled up with doers and thinkers but not mentors or the wise ones as I call them. And with performance review systems in place (one of the 5 deadly organizational sins of Dr. Deming) it becomes still harder to develop mentors, teamwork and retain people who would be willing to learn over time.

So, what might be a new path of learning for most organizations since it is vital to developing and sustaining competitive edge?

To my mind E 2.0 has the potential to provide the new framework for social learning in organizations under natural work conditions. People would learn from each other. People would learn from the mistakes made by others. People would become aware of the customer problems and take steps to correct their thinking. The organization as a whole becomes aware, active and thinking.

E2.0 offers other advantages as well. It can seamlessly connect customers, outside experts, suppliers, trainers, mentors and every department of the organization into a cohesive whole all working towards a common purpose.

How to do that would be a creative design process in its own right.

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VICTIMIZE THE VICTIM

The early morning has a chill in the air. Its middle of November and winter has slowly crept in our lives. The woolens are out from the steel trunks still smelling of the naphthalene balls. All are armed to face the winter. Indians look expectantly for the winter season to enjoy and flaunt their woolen garments and those wonderful scarves and shawls the ladies love to wear. Its time for the Indian families to go to the zoo with their family and celebrate Christmas with a cake and some oranges. The Kashmiri youths had already arrived at Kolkata. The first thing they do is buy a cycle and roam around the streets, selling fake “pashmina” shawls and lovely blankets.  The “Bhutanese “have come down from the hills and have made their new homes in the pavements around Wellington Square of north Kolkata. Why this same routine affair goes on year after year? As a child I have seen them and now also the same way of selling their wares --- on the pavements with babies tucked up around the shoulders. 

 

In front of the Adarsh Apartment two youths disembark from their motor bike. Hesitant steps.  Looks up at the building. Does Mr. Santosh Kumar lives here? Yes, I replied, 5^th Floor. I move inside my apartment. The morning tea was ready. I was enjoying my cup of tea when I heard some “shouting” and “screaming”. I opened the door and saw the two youths coming down the stairs, hurling obscenities and abuses. One of the sentences which I picked up rather startled me----- “You enjoyed while screwing; now you don’t want to own the baby”. My wife started to pull me inside the apartment. “You don’t have to listen to these dirty rouges, COME INSIDE “. Like most Indian lower burgeoning middle class families do, she also acted the same way. To hell with others, first let me play safe.

 

From the conversations among the two youths I could gather they are “recovery agents” of a particular bank/financial institution. Mr. Santosh Kumar had over stretched his feet from the blanket (Literal translation from Hindi proverb --- “Jitni chaddar ho utna pair fellao”) now with the compound interest Mr. Kumar is in doldrums. Yes, have fun while spending and later pay through your nose. Kumar works for a “Ranta” company of India. Good salary with lots of perks. But Kumar forgot the Indian traditional mindset. He tried to imitate the people of the other side of the world. Here debit cards go well but not credit cards. The salaried middle and lower middle class play it safe. They save and then spend and not vice versa.

 

The frequency of the visits of the “recovery agents” to Kumar’s house became frequent. Kumar became a fugitive. He avoided coming home. The sweet home turned sour. Mrs. Kumar was there to tackle those rogues. Life was torturous for her. She avoided any eye contact with her neighbors. Every one including my wife was secretly celebrating the “death” of a victim. After coming back home from office her topic of discussion centered on Kumar’s family. The bachelors, forced bachelors young and old, almost every one in the locality wanted to have a bite in the cake called Mrs. Kumar. Every male saw an easy prey. Their primitive animal instinct became alive. Some “benevolent” male members of our wonderful society wanted to “help” her by offering her loan with no interest so to tide away the situation. Mrs Kumar remained firm and took no help from any outsiders. Her brother came and rescued her from the situation. Now Mr. Santosh Kumar is back in his home by 7 PM. They learned a lesson of their lives.

 

 

 

What do the Kashmiri youths, the Bhutanese selling cheap sweaters, the ordinary lower Indian middle class family celebrating Christmas, Mr.Santosh Kumar tied in the rigmarole of debt have in common?

 

They fight every moment in their lives to survive victimization of the victim. That is the way the world is.

The author of this blog post is Mr. Sitendu De.

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Not One: Not Two

Sun & its light

Ocean & its waves

Singer & his song

Writer & his story

Artist & his art

Dancer & her dance

Poet & her poem

Engineer & his designs

Bearing & its lubrication

Gas flow & its duct wall

Motor & its bearings

Rotor & its bearings

Bus bar & its joints

Bus bar & its capacitance

Leader & his followers

Organization & its employees

Working & its learning

Production & its demand

Productivity & its inventory

Earnings & its expense

Problems & its constraints

Context & its context

Management & its effectiveness

Mentor & his mentees

Cow & its meadow

Mother & her child

Father & his family

Husband & his wife

Beautiful lady & her beautiful necklace

Lover & his love

How do we separate one from the other?

Whom do we appreciate?

What do we change or improve to get what?

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Study of Patterns - 2

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Study of Patterns is central to whatever we think and do.

The interdependent state of Nature is reflected through the various patterns she continually creates them as per context.

Leonardo da Vinci was a keen student of Nature. Instead of trying to dominate nature, as we have been trying for ages, Leonardo's intent was to learn from her as much as possible. He was struck by the beauty he saw in the complexity of natural forms, patterns, and processes. He was intently aware that nature's ingenuity was far superior to human design.

And this is what he had to declare about her:

"Though human ingenuity in various inventions uses different instruments for the same end, it will never discover an invention more beautiful, easier, or more economical than nature's, because in her inventions nothing is wanting and nothing is superfluous."

This inspires me to observe systems at work, think deeply and design and execute effectively.

However, the idea of understanding and learning starts with discovering the underlying principles at work. In order to do that we must find the invisible relationships that exist between different elements. Seeing through relationships creates the necessary 'wholistic' understanding for us to become wiser and probably enlightened thinkers, designers, executives, salesmen, leaders and workers. .

How do we do that? What is beautiful in her expressions are her myriad patterns. It is through the study of patterns that we come to discover the innumerable relationships that exist between different elements. This is perhaps the first and the most crucial step towards understanding and learning anything.

Fortunately, Nature expresses herself in three simple forms. She dances (oscillates). She shares energy (dissipation). She dies (wear and tear process).

She expresses herself when any system is either in dynamic equilibrium or when a system is taken away from equilibrium -- the only two possible living states for any system.

The slides above represent one of the many patterns that we get to observe. It does not matter whether we observe such patterns in engineering or elsewhere. It is still Nature at her best exhibiting her wildest, creative expressions.

The fan handles hot air, say around 200 to 250 degree Celsius. However, owing to frequent maintenance actions on the fan  the lagging (insulation cover) on the fan ducts was removed.

Heat pictures (Infra-red Thermal Images) were taken on various parts of the duct. The different colors tell us about the temperature of the gas at various locations in the duct.

As we can see the heat pictures create lovely colorful patterns all around the duct. We can also see that the gas is swirling. Technically, we can call this a turbulence. We also observe that at the bolted jointed zone the temperature of the gas is the least (represented by the bluish color).

OK. We get the idea.

Now the questions that arise are the following:

a) Why is the air exhibiting 'turbulence'?

b) What is the relationship between the lagging and the turbulence?

c) Why is the air cooler at the jointed portion of the duct?

d) What would be the effect of the turbulence on the fan system? Would there be any other effects?

e) What is the learning we glean from this? How can the purpose of any system be understood?

f) How could we transform the turbulence into more streamlined flow? What is the principle that we might follow?

g) Where else we might apply this principle to improve our lives?

Hope you enjoy the questions.

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Mehendi Designer at Work

In India, women like to cover their hands and arms with beautiful floral designs made from natural plant dye called 'mehendi'. It is applied in a thick paste form and the design develops line by line. There is no room for any mistake since a mistake can't be wiped off immediately. As the pattern dries up the excess material is washed off and the bright crimson brown imprint remains on the skin for days. When it fades a fresh design is put on. It is said that this dye has a healing effect but I am not quite sure of that.

It is both an interesting and engaging affair between the designer and client. The design develops through dialogues and interactions between the two, which is then owned by the user and proudly displayed in public. Women eye each other to check out as to whose hands and arms look more beautiful. It is also interesting to note that this design work takes place on the footpaths of city streets, usually at prominent corners. I can understand that. It easily attracts other clients -- a very skillful 'word or mouth' advertisement on the go stroking the secret desire of women to look as beautiful as the other if not better. 

Strangely this design profession is taken up by men. I don't know why. Surely, they find their work interesting since their clientele is all women, usually young. But that is not the point I am trying to make here.

My questions are:

1. Why do the designers and their clientele stick to the floral patterns only? This has been around for at least 1000 years, if not more. Though there is a lot of variation on the floral design why did Indian women not move away from it to adopt other genre of design, say for example, animal motifs? Is it convention or tradition? Or is it something else? Or is it because women can easily relate to plants as nurturers and providers.

2. How do mehendi designers enhance user experience? Would different occasions call for different types of design? For example, a design for attending a marriage ceremony might be completely different to say 'go shop'.

3. Can the designers characterize and bring out the perceived personality of their users through their designs even if they are only using floral designs? How can they drive up more value for their clients and for themselves? Can they transform a human psyche over a period of time through thematic appreciation of their pieces of art? Can they heal the mind? How do they study their users and share their knowledge with other designers in the trade?

Fair to say that I keep learning a lot about design and design thinking by observing such designers at work. The sheer simplicity of their offering is amazing. That might be the secret of their popularity and general acceptance of their design work by young women in general who are quite fussy about their likes and dislikes . They might not want to have it any other way.

Simplicity, beauty, boldness and elegance rule here!

Isn't that true for any design?

Or would complex designs hold more appeal or value?

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