Quantity, Quality, Patterns, Fractals, Transforms

Changes in matter are always qualitative in nature. Such qualitative changes can be best understood by observing patterns like the way we find them in frequency spectrums, wear debris slides and infra red thermal images. Such patterns can also be noticed in organizations and societies.

The existence of qualitative changes in matter exhibited through patterns was known long before human beings began to think more deeply with the help of physical sciences. With the advent of atomic theory we started to appreciate this phenomenon more deeply. In the early days of science we took changes of state from solid to liquid to gas as something that occurred naturally, without exactly knowing why. It is only now that such phenomena are being properly understood.

Chemistry made great strides forward in the 19th century. A large number of elements was discovered. But, rather it looked like the confused situation which exists in particle physics today. Indeterminate Chaos reigned.

Order was established by the great Russian scientist Dimitri Ivanovich Mendeleyev who, in 1869, in collaboration with the German chemist Julius Meyer, worked out the periodic table of the elements, so-called because it showed the periodic recurrence of similar chemical properties.

Note the use of word 'periodic'. This is the building block of pattern making out of which we make sense of the world around us. It is the periodic repetition arranged in a certain manner that forms patterns across different levels. We now have a sophisticated word for that. It is called 'fractals'.  

The existence of atomic weight was discovered in 1862 by Cannizzaro. But Mendeleyev’s genius lay in the fact that he did not approach the elements from a purely quantitative standpoint, that is, he did not see the relation between the different atoms just in terms of weight. Had he done that by mistake, he would never have made the breakthrough he did. From the purely quantitative standpoint, for instance, the element tellurium (atomic weight = 127.61) ought to have come after iodine (atomic weight = 126.91) in the periodic table, yet Mendeleyev placed it before iodine, under selenium, to which it is more similar, and placed iodine under the related element, bromine. Mendeleyev’s method was vindicated in the 20th century, when through the investigation of X-rays his arrangement was proved correct. The new atomic number for tellurium was put at 52, while that of iodine was 53. The breakthrough idea was to look for patterns. 

The whole of Mendeleyev’s periodic table is based on the law of quantity and quality, deducing qualitative differences in the elements from quantitative differences in atomic weights.

This understanding helps us unravel some of nature's mysteries. These are:

a) Quantitative changes leads to qualitative changes

b) Even extremely small quantitative changes often brings about dramatic qualitative changes.

c) All qualitative changes can be understood by patterns.

d) Any qualitative changes that are always exhibited through patterns can't be measured. So, important qualitative transformations can't be understood through measurements of any kind. It can be understood 'wholistically' through patterns only.

e) Patterns or qualitative changes repeat themselves over and over again in a system. Such a phenomenon is called 'fractals'. This happens in a self organizing fashion and the pattern that emerges is the part of the emergent property of the system.

f) Fractals exist at different levels in a system. This indicates that reality of a phenomenon exists at different levels. This is what we call as 'parallel reality'.

g) So by closely studying one fractal we get to understand the nature of all other fractals. That is we start from a part and understand the whole. This allows us to see the part and the whole at the same time.

h) It follows, that change in the pattern at the highest level changes patterns at other levels automatically in a spontaneous manner.

i) However to make an effective change we look for the smallest change to be made with the least effort and time to bring about substantial and sustainable changes in the system.

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Well, this is not a problem...

'Well, this is not a problem at all. Just do this. And follow these 9 steps. I have already worked out the 79 different factors that are to be measured and analyzed to come to a meaningful solution. In Japan they just do like this'

Does it sound familiar? How many times have you heard something like this?

Though this comes from well-intentioned and seemingly knowledgeable bosses (after all they are supposed to know more than their subordinates) it is a sure killer and a show stopper for creating innovative and learning organizational climate, empowering people, team work, allowing people to fail and learn and design think of new and unique context oriented solutions that competitors can't even figure out.

Implemening powerful social learning solutions to transform such organizations and boost morale of the people are difficult if not totally impossible.

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Challenge Assumptions to Solve Problems

As a graduate engineer when I was still learning the ropes in a British company, I noticed something funny in the operation. When I asked why people did the way they were doing, an old supervisor replied, ‘That has been going on for the last 30 years. It is a standard operating procedure. And we have to go by the book.”

 

To this I said, ‘But well, this is a darn wrong way of doing it. It has no logic. It is a sheer waste of time, money and manpower. Why don’t we stop doing that?”

 

The old supervisor looked in my eyes and replied, “Who has the guts to do that? What happens if the method you suggest fails? Who would take the blame? And why must I take the risk of losing my job? I understand that you don’t care whether you lose yours.”

 

Not to be taken aback, I said calmly, “I take the blame. I take the risk. I would lose my job if it fails. But please do it my way. The present method does not make any sense.”

 

Seeing me insist he relented, “I would do it as you say. But you cover my ass.”

 

The deal was sealed. The change worked and the results were worth being proud of. We waited for the first 1000 pieces to be shipped before deciding to report the fantastic savings the change has brought about.

 

When the D Day came I asked the old man to report it to the boss, allowing him to take the credit for the improvement.

 

On hearing the brave account, the Boss stared at us for some time before commenting, “Wasn’t that natural? I knew it all along. It was plain common-sense.”  

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RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

The world has been changing so fast that it scarcely seems to be the same every other day. In 1997, when India was punished for going Nuclear and letting the world knows about its nuclear capability; In Europe, the euro had not been introduced as a common currency; Amitabh Bacchan was still young and Madhuri Dixit was not so plump; Hong Kong had not yet been handed back to China; Google did not exist; the dragon’s  dominance in the world economic map was still a far cry and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were still four years away ---- Deepak was frustrated , why is his father not listening to him.

Deepak wanted to change his father’s old “Ambassador “car (a distant cousiin of 1941 model Austin) for a new Generation X car. The newspapers were full of advertisements. “Exchange your old car for a new one, and pay on easy monthly installments. Deepak was trying desperately to convince his father but he was adamant. What his son is not aware of are the many cherished memories attached to the car. When Deepak was born he was brought from the local hospital in this car. Deepak had grown up with this car.

Deepak graduated and got into a Post Graduate Business Administration course.

He wanted to change the world too soon. He has now acquired a new motorbike with a funky look. He has changed his attire and wardrobe. Everything he has changed with the passage of time but he is still not able to change his father’s outlook, attitude and business policies. His father still goes to the factory in a white sweat shirt and a cotton trouser. He still mingles with the factory workers. Tries to gauge their feelings. Hugs them when he is overjoyed and also hurls choicest abuses when angry.

Now India has opened up. Private bankers have come in. “Gone are the days when a nationalized Bank staff would talk to you rudely”. Smart young people are now manning the private banks with their plastic smile, trying every moment to access a customer in terms of business he would give. But India is different. People can differentiate between the artificial and the natural. The common man can do wonders. He can shun Ray-Ban, Reebok and prefer locally made under garments. He uses Debit Cards instead of Credit Cards. The billions of middle class Indian market use their own thinking based on their sincere feelings for their families.  

Deepak comes to the factory in a Ford but his father still comes in the old car. People love his father more than him. Deepak had tried to implement all his “imported management policies” in the factory. His father had given him the required space. Some were successful while others miserably failed.

Deepak wonders why things don’t work here. He has tried to implement most of the case studies that he has learned. He is impatient. Why India is so averse to change? Is there a physiological factor playing among the Indians? A change is required but why there is so much resistance?

What he fails to notice are the small meaningful energetic changes that keep taking place against seeming changelessness.

He forgets that small changes are much more powerful than big artificial ones. There is actually no resistance. How can one grapple and fight against something that has no resistance at all. So, no big changes can be brought about in India by copying something or somebody else. It is always a state of becoming not being. That is the ethos of the land called India.

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Why I love Vibration, Flow & Wear?

As I cross the threshold of the new year 2011 I look back at the 30 odd years of my professional engineering career behind me with a certain tinge of pride and an ample dose of satisfaction. I am grateful to many who made this rather long journey quite pleasant and exciting. Few of them were my Dad, Mom and my Grandma, Mr Hicks, Mr. Torrick, Mr. Sanat Kar, Dr. Chowdhury, Mr. S Lahiri, Prof Ashok Sen, Prof Paul and Prof Tim Henry. I deeply admire and respect them. Without them I would not have been where I am today. In Newton's words I stand on their shoulders to see the world around me a little better and a bit more clearly. Surely I made a good and meaningful living -- living with a purpose. But what I loved most of all was the added bonus of constant learning that accompanied all these years as a daily dose of understanding on steroids.

In these three exciting decades two things I really fell in love were

a) Study of Vibration, Flow and Wear
b) Solving problems of various types and hues -- equipment, reliability, industrial, performance, organizational, learning, etc..

On reflection I find that these weren't two subjects but actually one since one constantly fed into the other and sort of reinforced both in an exponential manner.

But that wasn't the reason for my love of these subjects.

I loved them since through it I could study Nature in its various forms and beauty. The beauty was so enticing, bewitching and captivating that at times I was confused as to what view offered me the best picture of those beautiful patterns. 

This is simply because the whole of Nature can be expressed by Vibration (tendency to operate far away from equilibrium at the edge of chaos and complexity in an interdependent manner - mechanical, electrical, electronics, metallurgical), Flow (driving gradients, fluids, heat, energy, electrons, quarks, people, goods..) and Wear (force, energy, entropy, surface phenomenon) and three fundamental shapes of anything 'live' (the tree network, round cross section and watermelon slice) and a few simple mathematical principles (iteration, probability, distribution, series, transforms, interactions & relationships). Nothing more was needed or perhaps would be needed to appreciate the ever lasting beauty of Nature.

Luck was in my favor since I was observing the untold beauty of Nature through supposedly inanimate objects like machines, flows, gradients. But that clearly offered me a great advantage. The advantage of seeing things happen just as they were. I was observing Nature so to say in 'uncolored' and 'unspoiled' states. Such patient observations gave me the chance to reflect and understand the underlying principles and secretly admire the awesomeness of the whole thing. It taught me to see the whole and the parts at the same time without neglecting either. It gave me the chance to crack the paradox of stability and change happening at the same time. It taught me the interconnectedness and interdependence of the whole thing happening at the same time. It taught me that all that we see and feel is not the whole that is there. And there were thousands of other things. It is good to feel that the learning hasn't stopped and thankfully would continue for many more years helping me to remain sane, active and agile hopefully staving off imbecility and old age.

By constantly learning about these principles the doors to effective problem solving was thrown wide open. To my surprise I found that the same principles that help me to solve tough and complex engineering problems also help me to effectively solve organizational problems and social problems within organizations. The underlying principles were always the same. Without this support I think I could never have made a name for myself as a troubleshooter, problem solver, design thinker and coach.

The other great thing that it did was to make my mind supple and open. Soon I was soaking up like a sponge the principles involved in other supposedly difficult subjects like Design Thinking, System Thinking, Chaos, Complexity, Adaptive Systems (Panarchy). That was a boon. All these frontier subjects were based on the same principles of Vibration, Flow and Wear. So far there had been no deviations.

I realize that all subjects in its truest form is always a rich mix of arts and science. One is not without the other. While Science helps me build up my Scientific temperament, inclination to Technology, love of Engineering and deep respect for Mathematics Arts lends me my love for Ideas, propensity for Design, understanding Emotions and developing empathy and great admiration for Arts and Actions.

That is why my heart still vibrates, my breath still flows and my joints continue to wear out as I continue to live with awareness and concentration.

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Improvisation the Heart of Innovation

This video shows the great master, Ravi Shankar, at work. Notice how with the change of locale the music or the melody changes instantly. When in India (depicted by the famous Taj Mahal) the melody has a distinct 'Indianess' about it. But as soon as the locale changes to China the melody highlight strains of typical Chinese melody. Again the mood changes with changes in nature and times of the day. Isn't is quite remarkable that while the tune (or raga as it is called in India) remains just the same for every situation the melody changes to reflect the master's feelings or his responses to the changes in the locale, mood, timings etc.

This is a brilliant piece of music or innovative music at its best. But this is what the Ravi Shankar calls improvisation or instant improvisation. Such instant improvisation is nothing but human responses to his/her situations and environment. Improvisations reflect human feelings at that particular moment in time. 

This helps us to understand innovation much better. The other name for it would be improvisation or a response to a given situation.

There would be many ways to understand this response. But one of the easiest would be -- 'going with the flow' -- responding to the feelings the situation evokes in us.

But that is tricky business. Much more tricky than what we might care to imagine. It is tricky to feel and stay in the present. This is because our feelings can take us back to the past experiences through our memories or transport us quickly to a future that is yet to be born through unbridled imagination, which is again distorted memory. Both are bad for us. The risky balancing act is to stay with the feelings and be intuitive about it without falling back on memory or false imagination. That is a risky tight rope walking. But that is what all masters of their games have mastered. 

For example, Sachin Tendulkar in cricket from whom rival captains have a hard time setting a field to hold him down by closing gaps.

Or take Ravi Shankar, the musician, for whom feelings flow from the depths of intuition.

Or the World chess champion Viswanand Anand who invariably finds a gap in the strongest armour of his opponents.

Or Michel Angelo who 'saw' entrapped figures trapped in uncut stones waiting to be freed by his hands. 

There is one thing that is common to all of them and one thing that sets them apart. The common thing is they all intuitively find the gaps or the existing imperfections in the present moment with their uninhabited awareness. They improvise their games based on those gaps or existing imperfections in the most intuitive manner -- no copy book styles for them. They have learned the rules of their games so well that they now break them with impunity.  

And what sets them apart? They apply the same principle in whatever game they have chosen to play. The games differ but the principle does not.

They are constantly responding to the existing 'gaps' or 'imperfections' by understanding and balancing numerous resistances the system offers. They intuitively sense these resistance and respond through improvisations accordingly. They seem to see the parts and the wholes at the same time within the same space.

This is what innovation is all about.

The Japanese have a name for it. They call it Wabi -Sabi, which means understand the imperfection in a given situation and improve upon it to make it stronger and more reliable.

The Chinese have a name for it. They call it Shan Zhai, which originally means balancing numerous resistances, see what is possible to be done cheap and effectively, start small and then grow in strength.

The Indians have a name for it. They call it Juggard, which means understand what is to be done, start with whatever is available at hand, go with the flow and build up over time.

These are all present moment responses to the feelings evoked. That to me is the best way to harness 'uncertainty' that clouds our lives.

Being in touch with one's feelings without distortion of any kind is being in touch with one's essential nature.

Or as Gregory Bateson said, "When man lost touch with nature, he lost touch with himself"

That touch has a magical creativity about it. It is innovation through improvisation born out of intuitive feelings.

This is the only way to create a good sustainable future for all since “The future is never empty, never a blank space to be filled with the output of human activity. It is already colonized by what the past and present have sent to it.” (Fry 1999)

How do we develop that is the question?

Understanding that involves deep learning.

And having an answer would be nothing short of 'Know Thyself'. That is living in freedom with heads held high.

 

 

 

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Developing a Design Mind - Design Thinking

An Introduction To Indian Music by Ravi Shankar  
Download now or listen on posterous

01 - An Introduction To Indian Music.MP3 (5945 KB)

This is a fine introduction to Indian Classical Music (around 4 mins of audio) by none other than Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro.

The mot important characteristics are the following:

a) Improvisation
b) Going with the flow
c) Allowing others to have their say
d) Striking a natural conversation or dialog is the key (instruments talk to each other)
e) Can only be enjoyed with an open and relaxed mind
f) Divided into 3 distinct parts -- free improvisation, dialog and convergence to a climax.
g) Primarily aimed as a tool for self development both for the players and the listeners

Reflecting on this I think appreciation and immersion into Indian Classical music certainly develop a design mind capable of Design Thinking since this is all about developing a design through doing and instant improvisation.

Hope you would find it interesting if not intriguing.

Posted via email from rdarchitect's posterous