opms workshop for computer society of india -- ---, 2012

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OPMS Workshop for

Computer Society of India-- ---, 2012

1. Brief Self-Intro by Participants

(also please tell us what you hope to get out of this workshop)

3. Your Feedback

2. The Workshop Background + developing an OPMS Action Plan

(c) GS Chandy OPMS General Presentation

OPMS (‘One Page Management System’) is a tool to help people effectively work with and (perhaps) realize all

their productive ideas...Any kind of Idea!-- Small or large, at any level…-- Belonging to an individual or to a group or groups…-- Individual, organizational or societal Missions

OPMS – The Presentation: 2012

(c) GS Chandy

(c) GS Chandy OPMS General -2012 4

The OPMS story, very briefly:1.Jot down your ideas2.Construct models showing

inter-relationships between your ideas

3.Implement appropriately

More on how to use ISM

OPMS General Presentation (c) GS Chandy 5

Presentation for CSI Workshop

CONTENTS

Choosing a Mission - Examples

Ideas to Accomplish your Mission

‘Action Planning’ your ideas! - ISM

How to view a ‘system’ - FR Method

More on how to use FR

Why FR ???

The ‘whole system’: OPMSUseful Background

Ideas and what to do with them - SYSTEMS

(OPMS: ‘One Page Management System’)More, next slides

(FR: Field Representation)

(ISM: Interpretive Structural Modeling)This is a very ambitious agenda and we may not be able to complete it:

there is sufficient background material available here and in the

‘Handbook’ that should enable you to work on your own in the areas not

completed…

6

Some Benefits of using OPMS

OPMS Deliverables

Some difficulties you may encounter in using OPMS

Some Useful Background• The OPMS Trigger Questions • The individual and the organization• About ‘systems’ Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety• (Late) John N. Warfield• Prose + ‘Structural graphics’ (p+sg)

CCNTCNTC

CONTENTS

2

Contents-3

V. USEFUL!

More

7

CONTENTS Contents-2 Background

• Services offered• What we’re looking for

“To understand and practically use OPMS”

An illustrative example for CSI Workshop:CONTENTS

3

Some suggestions and exercises to help make ‘system’ and OPMS more concrete to follow

Interpretive Structural Modeling (without computer assistance)

to follow

But it’s only through the good ideas we get that we can change or improve things

around us, for ourselves or for othersOften, one person’s good ideas may conflict with someone else’s

good ideas – and none of the good ideas can progress…

There are any number of reasons why ideas may fail. Here is the sure-fire

way to enable you to understand your good ideas and thereby, perhaps,

really get them going!

At other times, one just cannot get hold of the needed resources to DO

what’s needed even to start out at the time the idea comes - and then one is forced to give up on something that

could be very fruitful…

Good ideas are very ‘slippery’ and can be quite difficult to work with (effectively)

Try out The ‘One Page Management

System’ (OPMS) Next: quick definition of a ‘general system’ along with a picture; some

useful background needed to understand and use the OPMS…

But all too often, our good ideas just disappear from the mind, leaving only a thought that there was something

worthwhile or required to do still remaining undone …

Anything we wish to accomplish can only be done through our good

ideas about it…

Sometimes, people pushing ‘bad ideas’ may block the

progress of the good ideas…


ENVIRONMENT

‘System’: a collection of interdependent parts, working

together for a purpose

Simple definition:

Simple sketch of ‘system’

The OPMS is a practical way to put this definition to work on any issue of current interest, specifically for

some identified purpose

Sketch of a system and its environment – showing ‘structure’ Everything in the OPMS develops from the

definition and this simple sketch (…and from John Warfield’s seminal contributions to

‘systems science’!)

To understand a ‘system’ effectively, we need to understand: the elements in it; the inter-relationships between elements in the system; as well as the inter-relationships between the

system and certain systems or objects in its environment.

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X

Y

Z BOUNDARY

B

C

D

E

P

QR

A

ENVIRONMENT

In the conventional view of systems, the inter-relationships between factors are

not adequately seen or understood

‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’: our ideas about ‘elements’ within the system: factors or subsystems of the system. ‘P’, ‘Q’, ‘R’; ‘X’, ‘Y’, ‘Z’: ideas about elements, systems or objects in the environment

(outside the system under consideration). Arrows represent ‘directed relationships’

Warfield’s simple but profound ideas make it possible for anyone, at any

level, to put the powerful idea of ‘systems’ to work on any issues of

current interest…

11

So: ideas - the thoughts that may come to mind when we think of ‘doing something’ with the world around us (or within us) - are very important. These ideas serve as the ‘factors’ or ‘elements’ of the system.

Generally, we’ll need to put these ideas into some kind of appropriate format, depending on the issue we

are trying to tackle

(c) GS Chandy OPMS General Presentation 12

Every idea is dependent on a host of other ideas!

(c) GS Chandy 12

Conventional processes barely explore the

relationships between ideas…

The relationships of each idea to a whole number of other ideas MUST be

understood clearly if we want to use any of them effectively…

The OPMS is designed to enable us to explore relationships between our ideas about any system of interest

Even our mistaken ideas can be useful – often it is by exploring our mistakes that we develop the right way to tackle a tricky problem: the

OPMS is designed to use this capability of the human mind

To handle any idea effectively, we need to work with the following ‘simple’ facts:

In fact, these conventional processes may even hinder us from exploring the relationships that can help us

understand the systems we work in…

• Grab hold of all good ideas available about the problem or issue …

• Record the ideas generated … • ‘Structure’ or ‘organize’ ideas in the

right kind of usable order – this is what enables effective action planning

• Modify ideas to reflect the environmental reality …

• ‘Integrate’ every relevant issue that might come up …

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To tackle any kind of issue, resolve any kind of problem effectively, these are the main things that need to be done:

Conventional management processes know very little about the ‘structuring’ and ‘integration’

that are required to ensure effective utilization of ideas

…all of these things have to be done continuingly!

13

From people involved

The ‘One Page Management System’ (OPMS) is a model that

enables you to do ALL of it – in the simplest and most effective way

possible!

OPMS illustrated, next...

A Mission is any challenging objective that may require the sustained efforts of one or

more stakeholders to accomplish itSTRENGTHS

BARRIERS/DIFFICULTIES/ THREATSOPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS/ MILESTONESWEAKNESSES

(c) GS Chandy 14OPMS General -2012

“To get myself a challenging job”Or any other Mission of interest…Mission: “Effective Governance for India”“To reduce attrition to ------, within 1 year”

Models showing how the BARRIERS, WEAKNESSES, etc, may “hinder” or

“prevent” accomplishment the Mission – AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM!

System dimensions: all ‘subsystems’ needed to

help accomplish Mission effectively

‘System’ Dimensions

(below ‘System Tie-line’)

Questions? Doubts??

This is actually a ‘system model’, but for the moment just look at it as a simple picture…

Conventional ‘Project Planning’

The ‘Fundamental Dimensions’

of any system(above ‘System Tie-Line’)

In each of the Fundamental Dimensions, you will see all the

‘elements’ in that dimension and all models constructed from those elements showing interactions

between elements

This is a picture of a ‘general system designed for the purpose of

exploring the Missions we set for ourselves’ which can be applied to

any Mission whatsoever!In various dimensions, you see models showing how to utilize

STRENGTHS, avail OPPORTUNITIES, etc, etc, so as to accomplish the

Mission most effectively…

…individual, organizational, societal Missions…

Conventional project planning fails because it does not give you an

‘integrated view’ of the Mission and everything connected with it

OPMS contains something like a ‘S-W-O-T’ analysis, but this is a SWOT

linked with an Action Plan to apply to the realities confronted

‘System Tie-Line’ will be explained in due course (with ‘FR’)

Linked to Action Planning model in: THINGS TO DO

If the problem is “IAC Lokpal effort getting stuck”, the Mission could be: “To get the IAC Lokpal effort moving again – most

effectively”

If the problem is “New organization in a competitive market”, the Mission may be: “To grow

our organization to become a leader in its field”

(c) GS Chandy 15

The OPMS process requires that ‘major problems/ issues’ are transformed into a

‘Mission’, for example:

If you (an individual; a group) are interested in a Mission – any Mission – you WILL surely have some ideas that could help you accomplish it…

(c) GS Chandy

In this workshop, we shall demonstrate how you can choose a Mission of current

interest and –

from your own good ideas – develop an effective Action Plan to

accomplish it!

If the problem is “unhappy at work”, an appropriate Mission might be: “To get myself a good and satisfying job”

A great many ‘individual Missions’ have been successfully

accomplished using OPMS; as have several ‘organizational Missions’;

NO societal ‘Missions’ thus far have been worked as we have not ever been able to get together the right groups for these ambitious

goals15OPMS General -2012

Underlying OPMS:

Work on those ideas – and the OPMS process will surely help

you get many more ideas…

Yes, we’ve had some ‘failed Missions’ too!

If there is interest, there MUST be ideas!

‘Smaller’ problems/issues will appear as “BARRIERS”, “WEAKNESSES”, etc

relating to specified Mission

(If there are no ideas, that is an indication that there’s no interest)


We have to start by choosing a Mission to

consider at this Workshop!

Choosing a MissionLet’s first look at some instances of

Missions of various kinds… choosing a Mission is the start of effective

Action Planning for anything you want to accomplish

Choosing a Mission

A: Some Example Missions

B: Some Guidelines

C: Choosing A Mission (form)

(c) GS Chandy Missions for consideration 18

Example Missions

‘Organizational’ Missions

‘Individual’ Missions

‘Societal’ Missions

• “To increase, within three years, our annual turnover to Rs 2000 crores - XX profitability”• “To develop ‘e-Choupals’ for districts where we wish to focus”• Interactive LogicWare (ILW): “To develop OPMS software and market OPMS”• GSC + ILW Board: “To run ILW as a successful commercial venture”

‘Organizational’ Missions

19

Failed Mission

Very brief listing follows. There have been Missions tackled

successfully as well as Missions that we failed to tackle successfully…

There are a great many other Missions (many successful as well as several failed), to which OPMS has been or

can be well applied…most organizational applications are

confidential

Partially successful – but development (and most everything else) stopped after prototype!

• “To get the IAC (Anna Hazare) Lokpal effort moving again – most effectively”• “To ensure effective governance of our nation” • “To develop truly world-class educational systems that will effectively serve the real needs of most Indians”• “To change the thinking that allows this national shame of malnourishment of 42% Indian children to continue in the midst of plenty”• “To rescue Bangalore from crooked politicians, lawless lawyers and other miscreants”• “Bushout!”

‘Societal’ Missions

20

A failed project, alas

ALL of the ‘ongoing Missions’(and many others!) are searching for

appropriate groups to take them up

All Missions are ‘proposed’ – and/or ‘ongoing’ … no

real action on any of them to date. (The last item here

was a definite failed Mission).

Claim: One big benefit is that, if we are able to demonstrate even small success on any one worthy societal Mission – then every societal Mission will soon follow suit!

OPMS could be an ideal tool for any such worthy purpose…

It’s not just some few children whose fathers are drunkards … it is FORTY-

TWO PERCENT OF ALL INDIAN CHILDREN WHO GO TO BED HUNGRY EVERY NIGHT!!!!

It failed before it even get started!

This has been the case for decades!

Most of our leaders and most bureaucrats in government are unlikely to take up such a

Mission willingly – it will have to be groups of us citizens who will have to force our

leaders to take it up – and then we’ll have to enforce it!

Recent happenings here should have generated interest in such a Mission!

Could some of you like to get some genuine groups interested? I shall be happy to

provide my services (and OPMS) free to any such groupAnd yet, just a year or so ago, it became

known that several thousands of tons of foodgrain were destroyed because we

did not care to store it properly!!

A good bit of work has been done on ‘educational Missions’ (by Warfield in the USA – though not as part of OPMS; by others elsewhere)

And this too has been happening, quite regularly, for decades!!!

Earlier, needed tools did not exist … I claim they are now

readily available

Any societal Mission is likely to take years to accomplish!

• “To get myself a good and satisfying job”• “To understand all topics of my math syllabus thoroughly and THEREBY to get excellent results in my math exams, tests and quizzes”• “To use my time to study in the most effective way”• GSC: “To develop a PowerPoint presentation especially for the CSI Workshop”• GSC: “To develop the OPMS software”• GSC + friend: “To launch Interactive LogicWare (ILW) for developing OPMS software & marketing OPMS”• “To become a top-rate s/w developer, within 1/3/5/7 yrs”• “To become a leading consultant, in my field of interest” • GSC: “To get ‘XYZ’ to use the OPMS”• “To get myself out of the smoking habit”

This is a ‘sub’-Mission of a larger Mission developed for this CSI Workshop – a couple of the models constructed are shown, for illustration, here and at the

‘Handbook’ on the CD-ROM

Except for one Mission on this list, OPMS has actually been applied, by various

individuals, to all Missions listed – and to many others (more or less successfully!; though there have been several failures)

After this workshop is done, I do hope each of you would take up at least one

challenging individual Mission …

…a success - but recall failed organizational Mission: “To run ILW as a successful commercial venture”

… it would be very useful for you – AND it would also serve as an excellent measure of success for this workshop!

‘Individual’ Missions

21

Not tried

…but NOT as a s/w developer!

…if, in three months’ time, I see at least one case study of an individual Mission from each of you participants that I could potentially use for my planned book on OPMS then I shall be able to claim, justifiably, that this workshop

has been 100% successful!

But some successes as well!

These two were the first Missions to which OPMS was successfully applied by ‘other

individuals’ – and both were done long before the OPMS software became available!

A number of failures here!

CONTENTS

You will actually be convinced that it is well worth all the effort to learn and use OPMS on complex issues when for a

start you successfully use it on an ‘individual Mission’ of personal interest

to you… …and there WILL be effort required!!

Choosing a Mission

A challenge set to all ILW s/w people – about 60% have achieved ‘fair’ success; none has

become world-class as yet


…so let’s choose a SPECIFIC Mission for consideration during this

workshop… (which we shall use as THE MISSION for which we shall initiate development

of Action Planning here)

OK, we now know what a ‘Mission’ looks like…

Questions? Doubts??

Some Guidelines for choosing a Mission• Each participant should please suggest a Mission that you (and others) would be interested to consider, in some depth, during this Workshop• Be as clear and concise as possible • You would vote on Missions offered as suggestions (by other participants only!), and we’ll take up one Mission to work on – the one receiving the most votes• The Mission should be interesting enough for you (along with other participants) to give it serious and intensive consideration for the next few hours of this Workshop• We shall initiate development of an Action Plan to accomplish the selected Mission - from the good ideas provided by participants

• We would NOT be able to complete Action Planning for the chosen Mission by end of this Workshop – but we should all have a pretty good idea of how it’s done • We would also gather some basic idea of the kind of subsystems needed to enable effective implementation of Action Planning for the chosen Mission • Not to worry if your specific suggestion is not taken up for active consideration right at this Workshop – you will have the OPMS prototype software with you so that you can work on any Mission of interest to you!• (Suggestion: You would get the most realistic and satisfyingly developed model by the end of this Workshop if you choose a ‘Societal Mission’ of real interest to you…)

Because both ‘individual’ & ‘organizational’ Missions are likely to be

too ‘specific’ for a mixed group like this

Guidelines (continued)

Also feel free to seek GSC’s suggestions (on how to apply OPMS to ***ALMOST ANY

MISSION*** of specific interest to you!)

Sl. No.

Auth Proposed Mission for consideration

Votes

1 “To ---”2 “To ---”3 “To ---”4

5

6

7

8

9

11

GSC “To develop world-class education systems for India”

0

Please take a couple of minutes to write down a Mission of specific interest to

you… we can conduct a simple ‘brainstorming session’ …

Example

Sl. No.

Author Proposed Mission for

consideration

Votes

1 “To ---”2 “To ---”3 “To ---”4

5

6

7

8

9

11

GSC “To ensure – within 5 years – that no Indian child goes to bed hungry”

0Example

Sl. No.

Auth Proposed Mission for consideration

Votes

12 “To abcdef13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22 GSC “To develop Bangalore as a world-class city”

0Example


Esc and go to OPMS s/w to enter chosen Mission - also slides 32 + slide 58 +

CONTENTS


You’ve chosen a Mission, so we shall ask you the ‘first

trigger question’ to ‘generate’ ideas relative to the chosen Mission – and

we shall record your responses to the question…

CONTENTS


• “To propagate and apply OPMS, in India and worldwide” (Mission ‘M’)

First ‘Trigger Question’:“What, in my opinion, are the THINGS TO DO to accomplish this Mission (in

specific context of CSI invitation to conduct workshop)?”

Before that, let’s look at an example of some very simple ideas or ‘elements’ relating to a specific Mission already undertaken:

GSC’s ongoing Mission


“To demonstrate OPMS to this group” (P) “To convince members of this group that they should use OPMS for their work (and play)” (Q) “To demonstrate OPMS – effectively” (R) “To respond to all doubts and difficulties expressed” (S)

…and here are some ‘elements’ that were

my responses to the first ‘trigger question:

Right now, we shall record your ideas about your chosen Mission!

In due course, we shall illustrate some aspects of the models made with these and

other elements

(c) GS Chandy 32

Your Chosen Mission:

“To …”

“What in your opinion, are the THINGS TO DO to

accomplish your Mission?”Please gather your ideas to respond to the above trigger question – we shall enter them into the record, using the

OPMS software…

(For any Mission whatsoever, start by asking this ‘first trigger question’!!)

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We now go to the OPMS software to record your ideas about THINGS TO DO to accomplish your

chosen Mission

Esc (go to OPMS software for recording your ideas)

CONTENTS


1. Show ideas generated on screen2. Provide copies of printed list of

ideas to participants


‘Modeling’ Our Ideas!

I: Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM)

…so we illustrate one type of model that we recommend would help you accomplish

any of your complex Missions:

The ‘Action Planning Model’(using ISM)

You’ve generated some good ideas about your Mission…

This may appear entirely trivial – but we do assure you that it’s the heart of

EVERY successful Mission!!!


The ‘Mission’

The general ‘Action Planning Model’ in abstract:

Various THINGS TO DO to accomplish a Mission

“may contribute”“should contribute”

“does/do contribute”

We demonstrate a process that could help you precisely to identify and do the things

that may contribute to your Mission!

Please participate with us while we develop a specific instance of this idea in some detail

as background to your own modeling…

CLAIM: If we are able to do, effectively, things that may contribute to accomplishing our Mission,

then that Mission will be accomplished!

To translate these models into ‘prose’, just read in direction of arrow,

substituting “MAY CONTRIBUTE” (in this case) whenever you encounter an

arrow!

To demonstrate OPMS to this group (P)

MOST IMPORTANT! The relationship used has this special property:

P Q & Q M forces P M



To propagate and apply OPMS

(M)

To demonstrate OPMS to this group – effectively! (R)

Prose Translation:“To demonstrate OPMS to this group MAY

CONTRIBUTE To propagate and apply OPMS”

To convince members of this group that they should use OPMS for their work (and play) (Q)

“may contribute

Let’s add a few more elements to the model

Our specific example:

P RQM IMPLIES: PQ & PM ; RM

Prose translation: … … …

Prose translation: “To demonstrate OPMS to this group MAY CONTRIBUTE To convince members of this group that they should use OPMS for their work (and play) which in turn MAY CONTRIBUTE To propagate OPMS”

These models are constructed by asking the stakeholders questions about their perceptions of relationships between selected elements,

taken two-by-two…

Prose translation: “… …”

(Just read upwards, substituting “MAY CONTRIBUTE” whenever you encounter an arrow!)

Such a model is called an ‘Interpretive Structural Model’

(ISM)


“may contribute

To respond to all doubts & difficulties expressed (S)

To convince members of this group that (Q) they should use OPMS for their work (and play)

To propagate and apply OPMS (M)


39

“What, in my opinion, are the

THINGS TO DO to accomplish lowest-level element(s)?”

If, by workshop end, most of you are NOT convinced “to use OPMS at work and play”,

it is probable that I’ve not adequately responded to your doubts, difficulties

expressed, questions asked…

The Action Plan that would develop is a ‘process flow chart’ showing how the various things you can

do today, tomorrow and every day could “CONTRIBUTE TO” the things you want to achieve

over time – and to your overarching Mission

As humans, we are able to see some subtleties here that the computer cannot see: “P may

contribute to S --- which should contribute to R, which should contribute to Q, which should

contribute to M” IMPORTANT QUESTION:

Why do I call this a ‘developing Action Plan’???

Formal translation: “…”

Questions? Doubts??

A response that came to my mind was: “To develop a presentation that could

make sense to CSI group” (N) …(along with other elements)

As you get used to reading such structures, all of these implications

and subtleties become almost instantly clear as you see and

mentally translate the structures!

However, keep always in mind that correctly INTERPRETING

the models constructed is THE key to success!

Wrong interpretations could lead to undesired results – sometimes

even disastrous results!!Translating models into standard prose is VERY important!

We started with “‘P’ MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ‘’M’” – and the process has been able to help us increase the certainty of parts of our model!Also, P R,Q,M;

S Q, M;

R M

These subtleties are NOT accessible to a computer – only human beings in the

situation can extract these subtleties… (but sometimes we may not clearly and

correctly understand the subtleties of some situations!! – this has happened to me…

example later)

(Keep in mind that the ‘interpretation’ of a model is

different from a ‘translation’ of the model into prose)

Why is it important to do this translation?

To respond to all doubts & difficulties expressed (Q)

To convince members of this group that (S) they should use OPMS for their work (and play)

“may contribute




40

To develop a presentation that could make sense to CSI group (N)

Important: To add this last element to the model, the ONLY questions that had

to be asked were: “Does ‘N’ ‘P’?” (YES) and “Does ‘P’ ‘N’?” (NO) -

everything else (i.e. ‘N’ ‘Q’; ‘R’; ‘S’; ‘M’ – and “NO” in reverse direction) came out because of

‘transitivity’!


41



“may contribute




The ‘modeling relationship’ chosen is key to understanding systems!

Linked by SPECIFIC relationship

Our ideas, in our natural language…

For instance, if AT THIS STAGE we were to choose “PRECEDES” as the relationship of interest, we’d

get a pretty useless structure

ONLY ONE single

“transitive relationship” is used right through the model!

At next slides, we add a couple more elements to this structure …

As we read our models, we are able to take into

automatic consideration all the ‘subtleties’ and

‘implications’ contained in the structures!In conventional management sciences,

the transitive relationship “CONTRIBUTES TO” is barely ever

used formally– and only the relationship “PRECEDES” is used for

what they choose to call ‘Action Planning’ or ‘Project Management’!

NEVER!!!!

There are HUGE benefits available if you construct your initial models for any Mission using

“CONTRIBUTES TO” – the first being that you can get real

Action Planning from the process!Continuing development of any

‘CONTRIBUTION structure’ will lead to elements at the bottom of the structure that we know how to accomplish today - linked up,

step by step, with what we wish to accomplish – an ACTION PLAN!

The “PRECEDENCE” relationship cannot lead to real Action Planning! This subtlety has not yet become clear to the gurus of the conventional

management sciences

A useful learning exercise (for you, independently, later): ‘Translate’ and then

‘interpret’ this model for yourself! When you do this correctly, you will also be able to

understand the improvements needed in this workshop!

42



“may contribute





The elements we shall add are:-- “To be in a position to demonstrate OPMS to any individuals or groups”-- “To launch a company for developing & marketing OPMS” -- “To develop the OPMS software”

Earlier elements

43

To demonstrate OPMS to this group – effectively!

To demonstrate OPMS to this group

To respond to all doubts & difficulties expressed

To convince members of this group that they should use OPMS for their work (and play)

“may contribute

To propagate and apply OPMS

To be in a position to demonstrate OPMS to any individuals or groups

To develop a presentation that could make sense to CSI group

To be able to demo OPMS to any group (2)(c) GS Chandy

To demonstrate OPMS to this group – effectively! (7)

To demonstrate OPMS to this group (5)

To respond to all doubts & difficulties expressed (6)

To convince members of this group that they should use OPMS (8)

“may contribute

To propagate and apply OPMS (9)

To develop the OPMS software (4)

To develop a presentation that could make sense to CSI group (3)

To launch Company for OPMS (1)

One more useful feature of this modeling process: HUGE Compression!For instance: On this single page, we have, directly

AND by inference, the following sentences:1 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; & 92 3; 5; 6; 7; 8; 93 5; 6; 7; 8; 94 5; 6; 7; 8; 95 6; 7;8; 96 7; 8; 97 8; 98 9

(The elements have been renumbered for convenience)

A very large amount of information is contained in this simple picture!

Remember that several of these relationships are perceived to be “SHOULD CONTRIBUTE” as we learn about the system through exploring the structure

Earlier developments of my ‘Mission model’ – which started in 1983!! -

have been automatically ‘synchronized’ with newly

constructed model – with no fear of contradictions arising!

And ALL of these sentences can be understood by a practiced reader

almost at just a single glance!

The best way to pick up these needed skills is to start with formally translating a good number of such

structures – start small and steadily go to larger ones

Practice is ESSENTIAL!

What has been demonstrated: how the plain and simple ideas that we all have about what we wish to do

towards an objective can be integrated into a productive Action Plan!

Something else has been demonstrated:

If the ideas in such a model come from different people in the system, then this

modeling is helping them – by articulating how the ideas

“CONTRIBUTE TO” each other – to ‘integrate’ their different ideas. That is,

it is helping them to arrive at a ‘consensus’ on how to act!

Exercise: Translate and then interpret this model!


The assumption is that ‘key people’ in the system must spend about 5-10

minutes each day doing ‘OPMS work’ on the specific Mission under consideration – that ensures

‘synchronization’ – and needed correction of all errors

…Errors made on any day will soon be corrected as you keep

developing your models further!

These models can continue developing – for as long as there is interest in the Mission… see

following slides…

One more insight: It really does not matter if you make a few mistakes while constructing

your model – so long as you KEEP ON DEVELOPING YOUR MODEL, a few

minutes each day!

Model extends over several slides. Don’t worry about reading the

separate elements in the pictures that now follow – just try and

‘understand the flow’

We continue showing some parts of the models constructed “To propagate OPMS

– through this CSI workshop”

In your own modeling, clearly perceiving these “CONTRIBUTIONS” may sometimes be quite tricky! You may well make mistakes – but don’t

worry too much about them…so long as you keep developing your models

regularly!


Some stages of the ‘Action Planning’

model constructed using OPMS

software shown on 3 slides

“may contribute”

Initial modeling


Model constructed using OPMS

software


Page 1

Continued…2

Second model

(c) GS Chandy

Page 2

OPMS General -2012 48

Model constructed using OPMS

software“may contribute”

Some part of the development of this model is presented at the Handbook:

“Preparing for CSI Workshop - ISM” & “Preparing for CSI Workshop - FR”

These are part of the models that finally developed into the Action Plan that was used (and is being used) to guide this workshop…

The model appear very complex – but it is in fact very simple indeed to the

person(s) who constructed it!


Let’s quickly demonstrate two other important features of such models…

1. ‘Focus elements’ means you don’t have to keep track of your list at all!

2. The HOWs? and WHYs? of every element in the structure are clearly understood by all involved! (After you’ve started constructing your workshop model)



Continued…

Because of transitivity of the “CONTRIBUTION relationship” – you need only to focus on the specific few things that you need to be doing at that time, on that specific day, even though your lists and models may comprise of hundreds or even thousands of

such ‘elements’!

Current Focus

Because of the chosen relationship in the model, we know our ‘current focus elements’ “CONTRIBUTE TO” accomplishment of all

elements linked above them, so we can for the moment ignore

ALL of those higher-level elements!

Focus Elements (at this stage):• To develop a presentation that makes sense to CSI group (5)• To prepare an excellent Workbook for CSI Workshop (18)• To develop a good PowerPoint presentation specifically for CSI participants (19)• To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w and on all background materials (20)• To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop (21)

One crucial feature: ‘Focus Elements’


Mission: Propagating OPMS – through CSI workshopList of elements1)To demonstrate OPMS to CSI group (1)2)To convince members of CSI group that they should use OPMS for their work and play (2)3)To demonstrate OPMS effectively (3)4)To respond to all doubts and difficulties expressed (4)5)To develop a presentation that could make sense to CSI group (5)6)To be in a position to demonstrate OPMS to any individuals or groups (6)7)To launch company for OPMS software development and marketing (7)8)To develop OPMS software (8)9)To create structures to illustrate OPMS for a number of different Missions (9)10)To develop background papers covering a variety of OPMS applications and issues (10)11)To contact those I know who may have expressed an interest in OPMS (11)12)To agree to CSI terms (12)13)To ensure OPMS software is available for CSI workshop (13)14)To make alternative arrangements to ensure software is available on workshop day (14)15)To get all things ready for CSI workshop (15)16)To contact Samir Kelekar and others about CSI workshop (16)17)To develop needed handout material for CSI workshop (17)18)To prepare an excellent Workbook for CSI workshop (18)19)To develop an excellent PowerPoint presentation for CSI workshop (19)20)To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS software (20)21)To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop (21)22)To ensure that the interest of CSI people is captured (22)Etc, etc

If we do not have such a model available, we shall need to keep this

entire list in mind!

…which is very difficult indeed to do – actually, it is

IMPOSSIBLE!

And some of these lists could be hundreds of elements!


Questions? Doubts??THE RULE:Make your lists in detail (from ALL

significant ideas that you may get about your project) – but each day focus on

EXACTLY those few elements that you need to look at in depth at that specific

time!

Focus Elements (at that stage):• To develop a presentation that makes sense to CSI group (5)• To prepare an excellent Workbook for CSI Workshop (18)• To develop a good PowerPoint presentation specifically for CSI participants (19)• To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w and on all background materials (20)• To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop (21)

You can be completely confident that you have not ‘lost sight’ of anything –

because what you are ‘focusing on’ is CONTRIBUTING to everything else that

has to be done! (And that model is readily available)


That is‘Interpretive Structural Modeling’

(ISM) - one of two simple but powerful

‘systems modeling tools’ invented by the late John N. Warfield


We shall now ‘initiate’ your ‘Action Planning Model’ for your Mission – constructed from the elements you have generated,

using OPMS software

(Esc & go to OPMS software for

ISM session)

You’re doing this for the first time - so it will take you some doing to get to the stage where your model will actually

become an effective Action Plan –

but it is well worth working to get there!

As you learn to use this process effectively, you will learn how to reach – very swiftly indeed – to ‘actionable’

models – linking what you know how to do effectively today to the Mission you

want to achieve!

CONTENTS


1. ISM started2. Cycles resolved3. Prime ISM chosen4. Copies of printouts of model distributed 5. Means to monitor elements demonstrated6. How to ‘Action Plan’ – just work on

‘lowest-level elements’CC Further…

56

OK, You’ve started development of your Action Plan…

To make it ‘actionable’, just keep developing it from the lowest level upwards, till you have a

properly actionable structure…

…you have a workable Action Plan when you are able to see a clear and ‘actionable path’, step by step from things you know how to do today to the Mission you want

to achieve, by ----(date)

Because you’ve been ‘exploring the system’, much of your structure would soon achieve a ‘degree of certainty’ – with “SHOULD CONTRIBUTE” at many points where earlier it was “MAY CONTRIBUTE”…


Further on how to use an Interpretive Structural Model

CONTENTS

Let’s look at our developing model in the

context of the OPMS


STRENGTHS

BARRIERS/DIFFICULTIES/ THREATS

THINGS TO DO

OPPORTUNITIES


Mission: “… …”

• How do the BARRIERS/THREATS/ DIFFICULTIES “hinder” or “prevent” accomplishment of chosen Mission – and what are the further THINGS TO DO to overcome these BARRIERS, etc?

• How do our WEAKNESSES “hinder” or “prevent” accomplishment of our Mission – and what are the further THINGS TO DO to overcome these WEAKNESSES?

• What are the OPPORTUNITIES that may arise while we work towards accomplishing the Mission?• What PREPARATIONS should be made in order to avail these opportunities when they arise?


Specifically:

• What are the EVENTS/MILESTONES that we may anticipate while we work towards our Mission – in what order?

We shall now do some of this with our Workshop Model, for purposes of

understanding how to implement…

Before that: Any Questions? Doubts??Finally, this bit of project planning:

The conventional tools (MSProject; Primavera; other such tools) enable you to explore only this part of the project – to the total exclusion of all the other important

issues we have seen!

• What are the STRENGTHS available that could help accomplishment of Action Plan?• What are the STRENGTHS required (but not available) – and what to do to acquire these?


Integrating practical means to overcome BARRIERS, etc, into

our Action Planning

Before doing it for our current model, we illustrate

with an excerpt from our ‘example model’


The elements in red – on next slide - indicate that they have

come from the ‘BARRIERS…’, etc perceived

CONTENTS


Esc toOPMS Software & Workshop Model

to insert ‘BARRIERS’, etc


1. BARRIERS, etc, have been added to workshop ISM

2. Copies of model with means to overcome barriers integrated into it have been distributed


Recap of OPMS approach, in outline:In brief, the OPMS approach enables you to: 1. Identify a ‘MISSION’ of current interest

2. Record and clarify available ideas, by responding to a series of well-designed ‘trigger questions’ relating to the Mission – CONTINUINGLY. (These are the ‘elements’ in your system)

3. Organize the ideas generated, by creating models showing the linkages between the various ideas and between the ideas and the identified Mission – CONTINUINGLY

64

4. Integrate all available knowledge about the Mission to create an effective Action Plan to accomplish it – linking up practical means to overcome difficulties, barriers, weaknesses; preparation to capitalize on opportunities available for accomplishing Mission, etc. The Action Planning process of OPMS is highly iterative

5. Modify the Action Planning as needed in the light of the realities of the situations confronted…

6. Comprehensively Integrate & Implement the Action Plan – time lines, etc, to be established and effectively followed…(c) GS Chandy OPMS General -2012 65

Recap, continued

To continue and complete the ‘integration process’, we need to use another modeling

tool which we shall introduce shortly…

We’ve got up to here thus far – though integration is only ‘partial’

thus far.OPMS requires that users spend some 5-10 minutes each day on any Mission – which

ensures all modifications as and when needed


To ensure effective implementation, it is very important that you are able to modify

ideas and Action Planning – CONTINUINGLY – in light of the

developing reality…

… it is very important that KEY PEOPLE in the system need to develop their own

individual Missions (as part of the global Mission) – and they have to spend a little

time every day updating their OPMS planning …

One more important feature of any “CONTRIBUTION” structure

(next slide)…

Developing your Action Planning…

Once again, not to worry about reading separate elements, just

try to understand ‘the flow’!


Focus on ANY element in structure:

The “HOW?s” and the “WHY?s” of every element are built into the model

constructed with “contributes to” as its structural relationship!

Read UP the structure to find out the WHY of the focus element!

If you’re reporting to someone, what you need to do is explain HOW you will accomplish your assigned tasks!

We claim that this is probably one of the most powerful ‘motivating factors’

for individuals in any system!

If you’re in charge of a project, what you need to do is to explain to those

reporting to you WHY they should do their specific assigned tasks!

The boss explains WHY

The junior explains HOW!

Read DOWN the structure to find out the HOW of the focus element!

This property holds for EVERY element in the structure you made – check it out for yourself!

Questions? Doubts??I’m not promising that all difficulties and disputes will

disappear through use of OPMS – but motivation (and

ability to resolve issues productively and creatively)

will improve all round – very significantly!

Esc to ISM constructed to check out HOWs? and WHYs?

Please convince yourself that the argument put forward is justified by using it on the structure you

have created...


1. HOWs? and WHYs? checked out on w/s model constructed

2. Doubts, questions answered…

We’ve shown some of the main features of

‘Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) – a powerful tool that uses one single

‘transitive relationship’ throughout any structure to help clarify interactions

between system elements. Interpretive Structural Modeling was invented by the late John N. Warfield, to help enable deeper

understanding of relationships in complex systems


Many of us are already familiar with models constructed using the transitive relationship

“precedes” as in PERT and Gantt Charts (e.g. through MS Project, Primavera, etc…)

Detailed explanation of ‘transitivity’ in

“OPMS – technology behind”We claim that such models of “precedence” are

useful only AFTER we have come to understand the system quite thoroughly – which is what

“CONTRIBUTES TO” helps us do.

• Successfully tested OPMS concept• Successfully obtained initial + some further financing

Successfully launched Company (ILW)

Successfully developed prototype OPMS s/w• Successfully conducted at least 60 commercial workshops for organizations – some hundreds for individuals• Successfully even matched our ‘burn rate’!• Etc, etc, etc (a great many things done quite well)

If OPMS is such a powerful and wonderful tool, how come I failed,

the first time around, to make Interactive LogicWare (ILW)

a commercial success?

OK – I want to pre-empt one question that may have already come to your mind (but

you’ve very politely refrained from asking it!):

70

GSC + ILW Board: “To run ILW as a successful commercial venture”

XX

To partner with the right people

To partner with the right people

To partner with the wrong people


We did accomplish a number of things very successfully:

• Successfully tested OPMS concept• Successfully obtained initial + some further financing Successfully launched Company (ILW)• Successfully developed prototype OPMS s/w• Successfully conducted at least 60 commercial (highly commended) workshops for organizations… some hundreds of workshops for individuals..• Successfully even matched our ‘burn rate’!CONTENTS Field Representation

To partner with the ‘wrong’ people (or

entered into ‘wrong agreement’)

OR: Did not ‘handle’ my partners right!

OR

Well, this time around, I shall make sure I get the ‘right’ partners – OR I shall learn how to “Handle My Partners Right”!!!!

Some carelessness on my part at a critical

juncture (and some lack of sensitivity to the ‘subtleties of the

situation’!) led me to ignore this “OR”!!

“should/ does

contribute”

Wrong assumption!!!

“contributed”

What actually happened:

In addition to ISM, Warfield developed another powerful modeling tool called Field Representation (FR) Method,

which enables us to insert system elements into appropriate ‘categories’ (based only on similarities perceived

between those elements)

We illustrate (GSC’s highly simplified version of):

Field Representation (FR) Method, next…


The other essentialmodeling tool in OPMS…

Modeling - II: Field Representation (FR)

Method

• To become a top level software designer• To double organizational turnover within one year• “Garibi hatao!” – (The ‘anti-poverty’ slogan of Indira Gandhi’s

government – the slogan was excellent, but the initiative as a whole failed rather miserably)

• To master my math syllabus and thereby get excellent results in my math exams

• To get myself a satisfying and well-paying job• “To create an effective system of governance to meet India’s

needs”• To align individuals in the organization to the organization’s goals• To qualify myself for the best job opportunities available• To launch a new product in the US market in 2008• To set up my own consulting business• To become a global leader in software services by 2015• “To ensure 90% true literacy in India within 10 years”• To align individuals in the organization to the organization’s goals• Etc, etc.

Here’s a list of some diverse Missions


CONTENTS

This list consists of ‘Missions’ (that have been articulated by various individuals and

groups) in which I have some specific interest. These Missions are not

necessarily connected directly with OPMS. There must be well over 2000 Missions

on my list…

…therefore, we illustrate the concept with a couple of instances to argue

that we should look very seriously at FR despite any initial doubts that such

an apparently simple tool can yield something essential to help us understand complex systems…

FR is a practical way to ‘see’ an abstract system CONCRETELY!

We next illustrate how a potentially useful Field Representation may be constructed from

these elements …

To begin with, the remarkable powers of the ‘FR process’ may not be readily

apparent...

(Also helps one understand, with greater clarity, the

‘subtleties of situations’)

We first illustrate how a Field Representation may be constructed:

A long list of ‘system factors’ or ‘elements’ becomes unwieldy very quickly.

We can make it effectively usable as a system by developing a

‘FIELD REPRESENTATION’ (FR)

from the list. Right now, we illustrate a very simple FR…

In your opinion, is

“----------” (element 2)

similar to (in the same category as)

“------------” (element 1) [keeping in mind the kind of organizational structures that may be needed to accomplish the specific Mission]

?(c) GS Chandy OPMS General -2012 73

A: Dimension 1 ● To become a top-level software designer

…and then we ask ‘modeling questions’, as shown, next …

General ‘modeling question’, for creating Field Representations…

First element inserted in Dimension 1

Try and ignore any ‘pre-conceived categories’ you

already have in your mind…

We start by inserting the first element into a blank ‘Dimension’, as illustrated below…

The first step of the FR process involves inserting the ‘elements’

into categories/ ‘similarity classes’ – which we call

‘Dimensions’


In your opinion, is

“To double organizational turnover within 1 year” (element ‘2’)

similar to (/in the same category as)

“to become a top-level software designer” (element ‘1’) [keeping in mind the kind of organizational structures that may be needed to accomplish the specific Mission]

?

More specifically (in this case):

Response is “NO”, so this element goes into a different category as shown, next slide…

A: Dimension 1 B: Dimension 2 ● To become a top-level ● To double organizational software designer turnover within 1 year


Here’s how the Field Representation develops:

and so on…

A: Dimension 1 ● To become a top-level software designer

The ‘Field Representation’ (FR) that develops is illustrated (in outline) next slide

Response: “NO”, so new question asked…

A: Dimension 1 B: Dimension 2 ● To become a top-level ● To double org.

software designer turnover within 1 year C: Dimension 3 ● Garibi Hatao!

Next modeling question:

Response again: “NO”, so a new dimension is created…

In your opinion, is

“Garibi Hatao!” (element ‘3’)


“To double org. turnover within 1 year?” (element ‘2’) [keeping in mind the kind of organizational structures that may be needed to accomplish the specific Mission]

?

In your opinion, is

“Garibi Hatao!” (element ‘3’)


“to become a top-level software designer” (element ‘1’) [keeping in mind the kind of organizational structures that may be needed to accomplish the specific Mission]

?

Second element in Dimension 2

Next modeling question:

In your opinion, Is“To understand all topics of my math syllabus …”

IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS

“To become a top-level s/w designer within 1/3/5/7 years” ? [keeping in mind the kind of organizational structures that may be needed to accomplish the specific Mission] 76

Next modeling question:Response “YES” –

so element goes into SAME

category!

A: Dimension 1 B: Dimension 2 ● To become a top-level ● To double org. software designer turnover within 1 year C: Dimension 3 ● Garibi Hatao!

● To understand all topics of my math syllabus

I.e, if the response to a modeling question is “NO”, the question is asked again w.r.t. the elements in the ‘next’ Dimension (if any) - or a new Dimension is created and the element in question is inserted there.

If the response is “YES”, then the element in question would be inserted in the same Dimension and the next element is taken up… Outline of Field Representation that developed…


FR: “ System of ‘Types of Missions’ ”

A: Dimension 1• To become a top-level…• To master my math syllabus• To get myself a satisfying and

well-paid job• …

B: Dimension 2• To double organizational turnover…• To get over the ‘attrition problem’• To align individuals in organization…• To launch a new product in US market

C: Dimension 3O “Garibi Hatao!”

O “To create an effective system of governance for India’s needs”

O “To develop an effective educational system for our needs”

O “……”

Important!The titles of the categories are arrived at only after all elements are appropriately inserted into blank categories (see next…)

System Tie-Line



A: Individual Missions

• To become a top-level…• To master my math syllabus• To get myself a satisfying and


B: Organizational Missions

• To double organizational turnover…• To get over the ‘attrition problem’• To align individuals in organization…• To launch a new product in US market

C: Societal MissionsO “Garibi Hatao!”



O “……”

System Tie-Line


• Individual Missions

• Organizational Missions

• Societal Missions

IMPORTANT: The appropriate titles of the Dimensions of this Field Representation came to light only AFTER all elements were inserted into those Dimensions via

an appropriate ‘modeling question’!


A: Individual Missions• To become a top level software designer• To master my math syllabus and thereby get excellent

results in my math exams• To get myself a satisfying and well-paying job• To qualify myself for the best job opportunities that

become available• To set up my own consulting business• To become more effective at what I do• To learn to use PowerPoint effectively• … (etc, etc, etc)


B: Organizational Missions• To obtain needed financing for a major project• To align individuals in the organization to the

organization’s goals• To double organizational turnover within one year• To get over the ‘attrition problem’• To launch a new product in the US market in 2008• To become a global leader in software services by 2015• To obtain needed financing to market globally• … (etc, etc, etc)


C: Societal Missions

• “Garibi hatao!” (Indira Gandhi’s famous slogan, which has alas never been effectively worked on)

• “To create an effective system of governance to meet India’s needs”

• “To develop an effective educational system for India’s needs”

• “To ensure 90% true literacy in India within 10 years”• “To become one of the ‘least corrupt’ nations in the world

within 10 years (instead of being one of the ‘more corrupt’ nations)”

• … (etc, etc, etc)



A: Individual Missions• To become a top-level…• To master my math syllabus• To get myself a satisfying and


B: Organizational Missions• To double organizational turnover…• To get over the ‘attrition problem’• To align individuals in organization…• To launch a new product in US market

C: Societal MissionsO “Garibi Hatao!”



O “……”

System Tie-Line

On examining the ‘system’ with just the three dimensions that have developed at this point, we PERCEIVE that a couple more dimensions

are required to render this into a truly useful and usable ‘system’…

The ‘SYSTEM TIE-LINE’ stands for any of the

relationships that may be inherent in the

system under consideration

It ‘ties’ together all the elements to create

the system

The use of the System Tie-Line will be

demonstrated later

OK, this is entirely obvious… there is really no need of any advanced ‘systems work’ to put those Missions into these three quite obvious

categories! But now, here is something that is NOT so

obvious, which became ‘visible’ only because we did this ‘obvious’ thing

formally, using

Field Representation Method:






C: Societal MissionsO “Garibi Hatao!”O “To create an effective system of governance for India’s needs”O “To develop an effective educational system for our needs” O “……”

System Tie-Line

TD: Type of organization E: Resources reqd. Required o ~~~~~~~~~~~~

O Self-organization o ~~~~~~~~~~~~ O Incorporated Company o ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O Government or non-governmental organisation

Check out ‘understandability’ of the system as it appears now

against the original list of objects (reviewed, next slide).

Dimensions ‘D & ‘E’ are needed to create a useful ‘system’

FR: “Systems required to handle different kinds of Missions”


Some diverse Missions• To become a top level software designer• To double organizational turnover within one year• “Garibi hatao!”• To master my math syllabus and thereby get excellent results in my

math exams• To get myself a satisfying and well-paying job• “To create an effective system of governance to meet India’s needs”• To align individuals in the organization to the organization’s goals• To qualify myself for the best job opportunities available• To launch a new product in the US market in 2008• To set up my own consulting business• To become a global leader in software services by 2015• “To ensure 90% true literacy in India within 10 years”• To align individuals in the organization to the organization’s goals• Etc, etc, etc…

We claim that a significant enhancement in understanding

develops through this ‘FR categorization’ –

just review that Field Representation!

(Next slide)

And also glance at what develops from the FR created!

(after that)


FR: “ Systems required to handle different kinds of Missions”




C: Societal MissionsO “Garibi Hatao!”O “To create an effective system of governance for India’s needs”O “To develop an effective educational system for our needs” O “……”

System Tie-Line

TD: Type of organization E: Specific Resources reqd. Required O Self- organization o ---------------------- O Incorporated Company o ----------------------

O Government or non-governmental organisation

What we need to emphasize is that something quite significant (and potentially useful) has developed just by asking those ‘FR modeling questions’ about the elements on the list without ‘pre-categorizing’ them. This is NOT obvious at all from that ‘plain list of Missions’ !

• Sound at fundas. of CompScience• Real Project understanding gained…• Experience as trainee + initial real work• Real Projects handled • Languages • Platforms • Management of Projects• Testing• Timely completion• Attitude – ability to handle pressure• …. (etc, etc, etc)

Work on this particular development from this FR

has just started:

We should give it all the assistance we can, by providing these useful pictures of systems…

Such a check-list could be developed for each such

Mission of interest…

Claim: The human mind is a

powerful tool to help us ‘perceive and develop complex systems’!!!

The FR outlined (and developments from it) could possibly provide a quite useful

framework for the work of any serious HR (or other) consultant…


“To become a top-level software designer”

•Self-organization + Organizational backing

Example development from FR:

It will take a while for GSC (along with a qualified team) to do this development as

now conceived so that it becomes a marketable ‘spinoff’ from OPMS…

Various ‘OPMS spinoffs’ are described in an outline document in

the ‘Workshop Handbook’

Several different FRs could develop from that very same list.

What develops is a well organized ‘check-list’ of all significant/

relevant issues that should be considered (by the person

holding it/by the trainer of any such person) with respect to the

identified Mission!

For example – by modifying the ‘modeling question’ just a little, we could

have constructed an FR describing:“MISSIONS handled successfully/ unsuccessfully using OPMS” –

(the purpose being to help us develop strategies to improve success at tackling Missions!)

We’ve just illustrated how ideas may be usefully ‘clustered’ (for various

purposes)

Field Representation (FR) Method helps create ‘clusters’ of elements based on

‘similarities’ perceived between elements or ‘categories’ DISCOVERED in the system


The process is designed to force us to ignore (as much as possible) the pre-conceived categories that may

be in our minds


One more illustration of FR - with the elements for our example

Mission: “To propagate and apply OPMS – through CSI workshop”

Then, we show the Field – also on several slides as it does not fit into

one screen – this one leads to

‘non-obvious categories’

First, we recap the list made in response to 1st Trigger Question – it appears on several slides

90

“THINGS TO DO to propagate OPMS – through C.S.I. workshop”1)To demonstrate OPMS to CSI group2)To convince members of CSI group that they should use OPMS for their work and play3)To demonstrate OPMS effectively4)To respond to all doubts and difficulties expressed

More

I did NOT, for instance, discard any ideas that came to mind as not

being relevant – I just took them into consideration as being parts of a ‘system’ to be developed that my

mind would be perceiving on its own – but to work with that system

I need both the ideas and the models from them…

At this point, it should be useful to recall just how that list developed:

whatever ideas came to mind in response to that first trigger

question about the CSI workshop were noted down – and then the

modeling (both ISM and FR) enabled me to begin understanding them as

constituting a ‘system’!

List of THINGS TO DO (contd)5)To develop a presentation that could make sense to CSI group6)To be in a position to demonstrate OPMS to any individuals or groups7)To launch company for OPMS software development and marketing8)To develop OPMS software9)To create structures to illustrate OPMS for a number of different Missions10)To develop background papers covering a variety of OPMS applications and issues 11)To contact those I know who may have expressed an interest in OPMS12)To agree to CSI terms13)To ensure OPMS software is available for CSI workshop

91 More

List of THINGS TO DO (contd)

14)To make alternative arrangements to ensure software is available on workshop day15)To get all things ready for CSI workshop16)To contact Samir Kelekar and others about CSI workshop17)To develop needed handout material for CSI workshop 18)To prepare an excellent Workbook for CSI workshop19)To develop an excellent PowerPoint presentation for CSI workshop20)To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS software21)To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop22)To ensure that the interest of CSI people is captured

92 More


List of THINGS TO DO (contd.)

23)To get over: Not able to get OPMS software working on the CSI computers!24)To get over: One day is far too short for showing OPMS adequately25) Etc, etc, etc…We now display the Field Representation

constructed from this list, developed from a ‘categorization’ of the elements – four slides…

…Again, don’t worry now about reading separate elements!

Field Representation: “System to Propagate OPMS - through CSI Workshop”

SYSTEM

TIELINE

Page 1

More (pg. 2)

A : WORKSHOP BASIC PREPARATION To demonstrate OPMS to CSI Workshop group(1) To ensure OPMS software is available for CSI w/s13) To make alternative arrangements to ensure s/w is available on workshop day(14) To get all things ready for CSI workshop(15) To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w (20) To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop(21) To …

B : CONVINCING WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS TO USE OPMS To convince members of CSI group that they should use OPMS for their work and play(2) To …


C : PRESENTATION & BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR CONVINCING DEMO To develop a presentation that could make sense to CSI Workshop group(5) To ensure that the interest of CSI people is captured(22)

To develop an excellent PowerPoint presentation for CSI workshop(19) To prepare an excellent Workbook for CSI workshop(18) To develop needed handout material for CSI workshop(17) To respond to all doubts and difficulties expressed(4) To demonstrate OPMS effectively(3) To get over: One day is far too short for showing OPMS adequately(BAR2)(24)

To …

More (pg. 3)

Field Representation: “System to Propagate OPMS - through Workshop” (continued)

Page 2

SYSTEM

TIELINE


Field Representation: “System to Propagate OPMS - through CSI Workshop” (continued)

Page 3

D : PRE-PREPARATION FOR CONVINCING PRESENTATION To be in a position to demonstrate OPMS to any individuals or groups(6) To create structures to illustrate OPMS for a number of different Missions(9) To develop background papers covering a variety of OPMS applications and issues (10) To …

E : DEVELOPING OPMS SOFTWARE To launch company for OPMS software development and marketing(7) To develop OPMS software(8) To …

F : PROMOTING WORKSHOP To contact people I know who may have expressed interest in OPMS(11) To contact Samir Kelekar and others about CSI workshop(16) To …

SYSTEM

TIELINE

More (pg. 4)


G : TERMS WITH C.S.I. To agree to CSI terms(12) To …

H : GETTING OPMS SOFTWARE WORKING ON C.S.I. COMPUTERS To get over: Not able to get OPMS software working on the CSI computers!(BAR1)(23) To …

Field Representation: “System to Propagate OPMS - through CSI Workshop” (continued)

Page 4

SYSTEM

TIELINE Observation: If I were to construct

this FR again now, it would be somewhat different – as the process has helped to teach me something about the ‘system’!

My understanding of the ‘system’ has been significantly enhanced through the simple process of

constructing this FR!

Field Representation: “System of THINGS TO DO to propagate and apply OPMS – through C.S.I. Workshop”

98

SYSTEM

TIELINE

A : WORKSHOP BASIC PREPARATION

B : CONVINCING PARTICIPANTSTO USE OPMS

C : PRESENTATION & BACKGROUND MATERIAL

D : PREPARATION FOR CONVINCING PRESENTATION

E : DEVELOPING OPMS SOFTWARE

F : PROMOTING WORKSHOP

G : TERMS WITH C.S.I.

H : GETTING OPMS SOFTWARE WORKING ON C.S.I. COMPUTERS

…by doing this ‘categorization’, we have reduced a sizable list of

elements to just 8 ‘Dimensions’ – which provide a ‘representation’ of

the entire ‘field’ of elements:

We now have just 8 ‘Dimensions’ to ‘represent’ that list containing scores (or more)

of elements…Even when the list contains a very

large number of elements, the number of ‘categories’/’similarity classes’ on

the list will be quite limited indeed! NOTE: In this case, the ‘categories’ are not obvious at all as they were in our first example…

As we explore the FR, we will discover that it is

actually a ‘representation’ of

a possible system that could develop!


We shall now start to construct a Field Representation from your elements:• This will be just a very rough and ‘sketchy’ attempt to begin with (we may even fail!)• You would properly understand this Field (as a ‘system’) if you were to continue to develop/improve the model later• In general: whenever you confront a large, unwieldy list, an FR exercise would help you make ‘systems sense’ of it… Esc- to OPMS s/w

for FR session CONTENTS


• FR constructed• Dimensions named• Other operations in the Field described • Printout distributed


WHY FR? (and try to explain in

some detail)

OK, we’ve initiated development of a Field Representation…… it will take a while for you - individually or in groups - to convince yourself of the power of this process and then to start using it regularly in practice, so let’s ask:

• The mind is able to get a better ‘overview picture’ of the whole by looking at a few categories rather than looking at a large number of disparate elements

• We better understand the relationships between the factors in the system when we look at those categories rather than ALL the disparate elements in the list

• In the first example shown, we have been enabled to understand the ‘structures’ of the kind of systems needed to accomplish each type of Mission by creating such a Field Representation (FR) of ‘Missions’

A couple of important points to note:

• Several Field Representations could arise from any list (depending on ‘specifically how’ the ‘modeling question’ is asked/ categorization is done). Each such ‘representation’ may have its own many useful features, as a system…• It may take some time for the mind to understand the ‘significance as a system’ of a Field Representation that it creates! (Example: both our instances!) 102

We recap WHY we do this ‘clustering’ or ‘categorization’ (and go a little further):

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: The FR process is specifically designed to ensure that the results would tend to satisfy:

“Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety” (next slide)


WHY ‘cluster’ or ‘categorize’? (continued)

‘Categorizing things’ is something we’ve been taught to do from early childhood – and we already know it leads us to ‘systems’

What the FR process is doing is simply to ‘formalize’ this

well-developed skill – and to add the ability to articulate

‘relationships within the system’, FORMALLY

– example: a simple system that has saved each of our lives 1001 times!

(c) GS Chandy OPMS General -2012

(‘Simple Simon’ version)

“The dimensions of a proposed solution to any problem should match the dimensions of the problem” (Formal statement at ‘Background’)

104

Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety:

CONTENTS

We should, perhaps, start thinking of designing systems to suit the humans

they are supposed to serve – rather than demanding that humans must

change themselves to suit the systems designed by some ‘authority’!!!

That is one reason why the design principles operating in most of our

systems are so profoundly ‘anti-human’!!!

(Examples??????)

CLAIM: A great many of our individual, organizational and societal systems are

designed without the designers having kept this fundamental law in mind – which

explains why so many of our systems do not perform optimally or even may fail

catastrophically…

…take a look at the news ANY day - and you will see scores (if not

hundreds) of examples to validate the claim just made – AND to demonstrate the desperate need for practical means to ensure that we start designing our

systems to satisfy Ashby’s Law!

Not one expert in the world will disagree with this!!!

And yet…

Ashby’s Law - formal

The Field Representation process is designed to help us create pictures of systems that would (over iterations)

tend to satisfy “Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety”

In fact, there is no formal ‘systems design process’ in place to ensure that “Ashby’s Law” would be satisfied by the systems we develop and put to work in our

organizations and society!!!


Further on how to use FR

Illustration in outline

CONTENTS


We demonstrate how the Field Representation (FR) method may be used – using same instance that was

shown earlier

A : WORKSHOP BASIC PREPARATION To demonstrate OPMS to CSI Workshop group(1) To ensure OPMS software is available for CSI w/s(13) To make alternative arrangements to ensure s/w is available on workshop day(14) To get all things ready for CSI workshop(15) To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w (20) To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop(21) To …

B : CONVINCING WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS TO USE OPMS To convince members of CSI group that they should use OPMS for their work and play(2) To …

Field Representation: “System of THINGS TO DO to propagate and apply OPMS – using CSI Workshop”

Now watch the linkages developing in the Field Representation below!

To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on

OPMS s/w SHOULD HELP ensure that OPMS s/w is available for CSI w/s…

This process is called “constructing ‘PROFILE(S)’ within the field”

The more such relationships are traced, the better is the

understanding developed of the system!


SYSTEM

TIELINE

Let’s now look at a few things that we can do with this Field Representation

To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w SHOULD HELP ensure that OPMS s/w is available for CSI w/s

which “WOULD ENABLE” demonstration of OPMS to CSI w/s group…

We can create ‘relational sketches’ showing how one factor in a system may affect others (in the same or other dimensions)…

A sizable number of such relationships

can be traced through the Field. The more such real relationships are traced through the system, the better the user will come to understand the Field AND the system(s) that it represents!

To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w SHOULD HELP ensure that OPMS s/w is available for CSI w/swhich WOULD ENABLE demonstration of

OPMS to CSI w/s group which in turn MAY HELP convince members of CSI group to use OPMS at work and play

The field + a set of these linkages + the prose translation

= A ‘Profile’

in the Field Representation

C : PRESENTATION & BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR CONVINCING DEMO To develop a presentation that could make sense to CSI Workshop group(5) To ensure that the interest of CSI people is captured(22)

To develop an excellent PowerPoint presentation for CSI workshop(19) To prepare an excellent Workbook for CSI workshop(18) To develop needed handout material for CSI workshop(17) To respond to all doubts and difficulties expressed(4) To demonstrate OPMS effectively(3) To get over: One day is far too short for showing OPMS adequately(BAR2)(24)

To …


SYSTEM

TIELINE

Field Representation: “System to develop and put into place effective Educational Systems for India at every level in every field (contd.)

Page 2

…a little more profiling……The presentation developed should help to respond to all questions and doubts raised by participants…

To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w SHOULD HELP ensure that OPMS s/w is available for CSI w/swhich WOULD ENABLE demonstration of OPMS to CSI w/s group which in turn MAY HELP convince

CSI w/s participants. Simultaneously, it is very important to develop a presentation that would make sense to CSI participants (in order to convince them to use OPMS)


SYSTEM

TIELINE


D : PRE-PREPARATION FOR CONVINCING PRESENTATION To be in a position to demonstrate OPMS to any individuals or groups(6) To create structures to illustrate OPMS for a number of different Missions(9) To develop background papers covering a variety of OPMS applications and issues (10) To …

E : DEVELOPING OPMS SOFTWARE To launch company for OPMS software development and marketing(7) To develop OPMS software(8) To …

F : PROMOTING WORKSHOP To contact people I know who may have expressed interest in OPMS(11) To contact Samir Kelekar and others about CSI workshop(16) To …

There are usually plenty of relationships to be traced across the various dimensions of the FR …

This prose narrative represents – to a fair extent - the current level

of our understanding of the operating relationships within the system(s) under consideration…

One of the outcomes of a Field Representation exercise is a set of

‘profiles’ that - taken together - provide a detailed ‘prose narrative’ (that ‘describes’ what is going on in the system, tells us about how

the system behaves)

G : TERMS WITH C.S.I. To agree to CSI terms(12) To …

H : GETTING OPMS SOFTWARE WORKING ON C.S.I. COMPUTERS To get over: Not able to get OPMS software working on the CSI computers!(BAR1)(23) To …


SYSTEM

TIELINE


Esc to Workshop FR to explore ‘Profiling’

CONFESSION: The OPMS software does NOT at this

time show the inter-relationships between field elements in a

satisfactory way…

HOW?1. Print out a copy of the FR2. Use a plastic sheet as overlay to help

‘trace relationships’ that you may perceive in the FR

3. Document those relationships in Word or Notepad.

Very briefly, we demonstrate the inadequate facility that’s now

available in the OPMS software – and then we show how we can, in practice, work out the ‘profiling’ in

a field of interest

When I get this done as software, I shall send you a free copy… please bear with me – and

register your name and email id…

…in general, the more relationships you trace through the FR, the more developed will be your understanding of the ‘system’ you are working on…Meanwhile, it is possible to perform the needed ‘profiling exercises’ (with a little difficulty) - despite the feature not working

effectively in the software!


1. Examples of profiles from participants – using FR printouts and Word

2. Printout of profiles print out Word document developed


Notes on FR relationships:1.Relationships in the FR have to be drawn out of the system by the human observer… the computer cannot do it for you!2.Regard the ‘System Tie-Line’ as being something like a telephone cable, carrying conversations from various points to various other points3.‘Practice WON’T make you perfect!!’ - but will certainly help you more clearly understand the systems you work with

i.e. there are a huge number of potential relationships that could be profiled in any FR developed – you may never trace them all. But each of them that you do trace will help you better understand the ‘system’ you are working with…


Titles of Field Dimensions:


B : CONVINCING PARTICIPANTS TO USE OPMS


E : DEVELOPING OPMS SOFTWARE


G : TERMS WITH C.S.I.


D : PRE-PREPARATION FOR CONVINCING PRESENTATIONNext slide, we illustrate an ISM constructed from the titles of these dimensions

SYSTEM

TIELINE

Here’s something else we can do with the FR: We can create an ISM with the TITLES of the Dimensions in the Field Representation. (We look once more at the titles…)


SYSTEM

TIELINE

ISM created from ‘Dimensions of Education Field Representation’

G : TERMS WITH C.S.I.E : DEVELOPING OPMS

SOFTWARE

D : PRE-PREPARATION FOR CONVINCING PRESENTATION

A: WORKSHOP BASIC PREPARATION



B : CONVINCING PARTICIPANTS TO USE OPMS


“may/should contribute to”

OPMS s/w does not do this as yet – sorry!

To get over this lack, you can enter the titles of the Field Dimensions into the OPMS software and model them… or:You can also do the modeling without s/w…


Demo: Constructing the ISM from Field Dimensions

Alternatives available:A: Using OPMS s/w

1. Print out Field Dimension Titles2. Enter titles into OPMS s/w3. Construct ISM using OPMS s/w

B: Construct ISM ‘manually’


Something else that can be done with FR: We can also create ISMs using the elements within each of

the Dimensions of the Field Representation – this enables us to explore within each Dimension or aspect of the system(s) under

consideration (Illustrated, next slide)


To demonstrate OPMS to CSI Workshop group(1) To ensure OPMS software is available for CSI w/s13) To make alternative arrangements to ensure s/w available on workshop day(14) To get all things ready for CSI workshop(15)

To brief Suresh Thiagarajan in detail on OPMS s/w (20) To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop(21) To …

117

For instance, Dimension ‘A’:

“may/should contribute”

To demonstrate OPMS to CSI Workshop group(1)

To ensure OPMS software is available for CSI w/s13)

To make alternative arrangements ensuring s/w

available on workshop day(14)

To get all things ready for CSI workshop(15)

To brief Suresh Thiagarajan

in detail on OPMS s/w (20)

To get all needed preparations done well in time for CSI workshop(21)

ISM from elements in Dimension ‘A’:

118

OPMS s/w does not do this as yet – sorry!

CONTENTS OPMS

One of the following means may be used for this modeling: 1.Select the specific elements in the list and then structure only those2.Re-enter those elements into the software separately and then model them 3.Do the modeling without computer – and keep a record, using Word or Notepad

The explanatory and clarificatory power of the FR is huge – but one has to use OPMS ‘systematically’ to realise the value of FR to help

us understand our systems…

DO Demo

This means total about 5-10 minutes per day

per Mission!


Demo: Constructing ISMs within Dimensions of your FR to illustrate…

CC Esc and show FR on OPMS screen2. Note element numbers within the

Dimension(s) to be structured within FR 3. Go to OPMS s/w - ‘Structure’ and

construct ISMs with those elements!4. If desired, construct ISM without

computer

Later: Final demo --- ‘OPMS and its ‘System Dimensions’

We now illustrate the quite sophisticated and complex Field Representation that

you’ve already seen several times:The ‘One Page Management

System’ (OPMS)

‘System’ Dimensions

(below ‘System Tie-line’)STRENGTHS

BARRIERS/DIFFICULTIES/ THREATS

THINGS TO DO

OPPORTUNITIES



Your chosen Mission!These will consist of all the subsystems needed

to help accomplish Mission effectively

Other ‘Fundamental’ Dimensions

(above ‘System Tie-Line’)

Models showing how the BARRIERS, WEAKNESSES, etc, “hinder” or “prevent” accomplishment of the THINGS TO DO to

accomplish the Mission

The Action Plan - continuingly developed to suit the background environmental

requirements.

Esc to OPMS s/w to work on ‘sub-systems’

The OPMS is a Field Representation specifically designed to help users

accomplish ANY Mission of interest, regardless how complex it may be…

Models showing how to utilize our STRENGTHS, avail

OPPORTUNITIES, etc, etc, so as to accomplish the Mission most

effectively…

OR: If you find you are not making headway, you will understand very early how to modify your Mission so as to meet the needs of the situation

What is miscalled “Project Planning Software” treats only this single dimension of OPMS!

It consists of ALL elements and ALL models developed during progress towards a Mission

It’s a powerful ‘model of models’!

CONTENTS


1. Example(s) of model(s) of ‘sub’-systems in one or more System Dimensions

2. Printouts distributed

For instance, explaining about OPMS is itself is a pretty complex venture – which would have been

VERY difficult (perhaps impossible) to do without the help

of the OPMS process

Observation: By now, all of you are pretty familiar with this

extension to the conventional prose in which we usually

communicate –‘prose + structural graphics’

(p+sg)

To find out how ‘successful’ this Workshop has been, we shall need to measure how many of you - over

the next three months – actively work to develop an OPMS on a

Mission of interest to you…

Do continue using this powerful language – and you will master

OPMS very soon indeed!

It is clear that the OPMS is actually a ‘model of models’ –

a ‘representation’ on a single page -consisting of all elements generated and all models constructed while we

work on the Mission under consideration…

122CONTENTS Next: ‘Deliverables’

It’s a ‘general system’: designed to help us accomplish ANY

Mission of interest!

Page 0

The underlying logic is as follows: If there are benefits in constructing a

simple ‘model of elements’ – then those benefits should be multiplied

manifold when we construct a ‘model of models’

In brief, OPMS is a useful tool to help us handle complex issues, difficult

projects, etc, etc…

With OPMS, it turned out to be fairly ‘doable’ - not

impossible at all!

…meanwhile, do feel free to seek suggestions and any required

‘OPMS help’ from GSC…Questions? Doubts??

The OPMS message, briefly:1.Jot down your ideas2.Construct models showing

inter-relationships between your ideas

3.Understand models in depth4.Implement appropriately


OPMS Process Deliverables

• Identification of an agreed Mission – Mission – relating to an relating to an individual or groupindividual or group

• Lists of ideasLists of ideas covering various aspects of the Mission• Initiation of an agreed Action Planagreed Action Plan to accomplish the

Mission • Practical meansPractical means to overcome BARRIERS,

DIFFICULTIES THREATS, WEAKNESSES and avail of OPPORTUNITIES

• Design of all needed sub-systemssub-systems: marketing system, : marketing system, planning system, information systems – whatever the planning system, information systems – whatever the subsystems that may be required for the Mission!subsystems that may be required for the Mission!

• ReportsReports to monitor ‘What & Why – Who – When - How What & Why – Who – When - How MuchMuch’

• Significant enhancement of attitudes, Significant enhancement of attitudes, behaviour and performance of behaviour and performance of individuals at each levelindividuals at each level

These are linked to long-term objectives, along with practical means to overcome all difficulties and barriers that may be encountered en route, AND all needed

systems and subsystems to accomplish the Mission.

The Action Planning that’s developed through the OPMS process is truly

practical, based on the things that you can achieve right now – today,

tomorrow and every day

124

OPMS Process Deliverables

124Contents-2

Because HOW & WHY becomes clear – to each person - at each

level of the organization!

Next: Benefits of OPMS


Benefits of using OPMS

Benefits of using OPMS:

• The OPMS process is in fact a ‘systematization’ of the way we naturally think…• The OPMS enables us to record all our ideas and to recall specific ideas exactly as and when needed• For any specific Mission taken up, you need spend just 5-10 minutes a day doing ‘OPMS work’ - example• Huge benefits in systematic, organized thinking, motivation and other desirable outcomes – including accomplishment of your most ambitious Missions!

126

I therefore describe the OPMS as an ‘Operating System for the Human Mind’ - and this is not a mere ‘advertising slogan’!!

More…


Benefits (continued)

• You’ve never properly understood the extraordinary power of your own ideas – till you have put them through the OPMS process!

More…

(c) GS Chandy 128

CLAIM:

Every successful project is in fact the product of systematic thinking

and work of this kind…

… OPMS is just a formalization of what we naturally do in our minds!

even if you are not formally using the OPMS…

Contents-2 Difficulties


Difficulties you may encounter in using OPMS

Difficulties in using OPMS:

• Requires ‘self-discipline’ to use systematically• Unless it becomes a regular practice, the benefits of OPMS will not be understood• It takes a little practice to learn to read ‘structures’ fluently• To begin with, it may not be easy to think in terms of ‘relationships’• Initially, it may take about a 1-11

/2 months to ‘make the process a regular practice’ • At the start, people may find it difficult to ‘think systematically’

(c) GS Chandy 130OPMS General -2012 More…

Some of the ‘Barriers’ & ‘Difficulties’ encountered in group work may be quite

severe. However, the principles of Warfield’s Interactive Management (IM) as realized in OPMS enable us to tackle

all such impedimenta effectively


• We all often find it behaviorally difficult to perceive/accept our own weaknesses – a very human characteristic we shall need to overcome to accomplish our Missions effectively

Difficulties (continued):

More…

• In a group situation, we shall have to learn how to handle individual and group human behaviour – there are both weaknesses and strengths that will be encountered!

To enable all of this to be done effectively, a trained OPMS ‘Facilitator’ may be needed at some stages

For anyone who’s not used OPMS before, there’s a fair bit of ‘unlearning’ involved in putting the OPMS to work


A kind of a difficulty:

This deficiency may make it somewhat more difficult to ‘master OPMS’ – but a fair number of people have managed to do it despite lack of the full software. (In fact, it is possible to apply OPMS very successfully without using s/w at all)!

Next: a simple strategy to help you get over this difficulty

More

•The OPMS software is currently only at prototype level – it does require several enhancements to ensure it provides you with the full power of the OPMS concept

133

Work out a few very simple (even ‘trivial’) individual Missions

“should contribute to”

Confidence in OPMS process and in self

Confidence to try out OPMS on simple

organizational issue

Confidence to try out OPMS on simple

societal issue

Confidence to try out OPMS on truly ambitious, challenging issues

Contents-2

Enhanced abilities to overcome software’s

deficiencies

Deepen understanding of

“CONTRIBUTES TO”

Say - about 3 months…

Next: Useful Background

134

• The OPMS Trigger Questions

• The individual and the organisation

• About ‘systems’

• Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety • (Late) John N. Warfield

• ‘Prose + Structural Graphics’ (p+sg)

Some Useful Background…

Contents-3CONTENTS Contents-2


OPMSTrigger Questions

The OPMS ‘trigger questions’ are precisely

those questions that naturally come to mind

when we are confronted with an issue that we need

to work on:


The OPMS Trigger Questions

• “What, in your opinion, are the THINGS TO DO that could help accomplish your Mission?”

• “What, in your opinion, are the BARRIERS/ DIFFICULTIES/ THREATS that may hinder or prevent accomplishment of your Mission?”

• “What, in your opinion, are the STRENGTHS (available; required) that may could help accomplishment of your Mission?” More

137

The OPMS Trigger Questions (continued)

• “What, in your opinion, are the OPPORTUNITIES arising that could help accomplishment of your Mission?”

• “What, in your opinion, are PREPARATIONS required to ensure opportunities are availed?”• “What, in your opinion, are the WEAKNESSES that may hinder or prevent accomplishment of Mission?”

• “What, in your opinion, are the EVENTS/ MILESTONES that may occur while you progress towards Mission?”

More

The OPMS Trigger Questions (continued)

A trigger question to appear in future versions of OPMS:

“What, in your opinion, may be the various factors to consider while you work towards your

Mission ‘M’” ?WHY: It does occur that we may need to explore aspects of a system without regard to any pre-existing categories. This ‘general question’ would cater to such a need.

138

Contents-2 Background


The Individual and the Organization

One Page Management Systems at various organizational levels


It’s very important that at least ‘key people’ in the system (organization)

spend a few minutes each day working up their own parts of the ‘global OPMS’

Kiran OPMS Satish OPMS Narayan OPMS

“is part of”

Recruitment OPMS

Training OPMS

Global OPMS

Unions OPMS

Production OPMS

Marketing OPMS

Accounts OPMS

Machines OPMS

Staffing OPMS

Workflow OPMS

‘Key people’ should spend about 5-10 minutes per day, per Mission – using OPMS!Background

Back to Action Planning…

CONTENTS…

Every ‘organizational OPMS’ has a

‘hierarchical organizational structure’ behind it…

(Much like the ‘REPORTS TO’ structures you are already

familiar with)


About ‘systems’(and how to work in them)

- in a little more detail than earlier

CONTENTS


About Systems …

System: a collection of interdependent parts, working

together for a purpose

Definition

Sketch of a system and its environment – showing ‘structure’ ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’: ideas about ‘elements’ or subsystems within

the system. ‘P’, ‘Q’, ‘R’; ‘X’, ‘Y’, ‘Z’: ideas about elements, systems or objects in the environment (outside the system under

consideration). Arrows represent ‘directed relationships’

143

X

Y

Z BOUNDARY

B

C

D

E

P

QR

A

ENVIRONMENT

In the conventional view of systems, the inter-relationships between factors are

not adequately seen or understood

To understand a ‘system’ effectively, we need to understand: the elements in it; the inter-relationships between elements in the system; as well as the inter-relationships between the

system and certain systems or objects in its environment.

References – next slide

Everything in the OPMS develops from the definition and this simple sketch (…and

from John Warfield’s seminal contributions to ‘systems science’!)

Warfield’s simple but profound ideas make it possible for anyone, at any

level, to put the powerful idea of ‘systems’ to work on any issues of

current interest…

OPMS – based on Warfield’s seminal contributions - now enables anyone, at

any level, to apply the full power of ‘systems thinking’ to any problem or

issue of concern…

‘General Systems Theory’ (GST) – attributed to Ludwig Van Bertalanffy and others – see: http://www.panarchy.org/vonbertalanffy/systems.1968.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_theory

A good first look at ‘systems thinking’:i) Introduction to Systems Thinking http://www.systems-thinking.org/intst/int.htm

ii) Mental Model Musings http://www.systems-thinking.org/index.htm

Many other references can be provided on request

We claim that it was the late John N. Warfield who made the

decisive contributions to create a truly ‘usable systems science’

Before Warfield, there was no practical means for people in complex systems to understand the inter-relationships between the factors of the systems

under consideration(c) GS Chandy OPMS General -2012 144

Gene Bellinger

Anyone can master it – EVEN WITHOUT COMPUTER

SOFTWARE! – in a month or so (well, say three months at most)

About Systems (references)…

More

http://www.panarchy.org/vonbertalanffy/systems.1968.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_theory

http://www.systems-thinking.org/intst/int.htm

http://www.systems-thinking.org/index.htm

Grab hold of all good ideas available! Record (and clarify) those ideas!

Idea Generation Tools

Put ideas together Into effective Action Plan!

Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM)

Field Representation (FR) Method

Integrate everything to create a real system!

One Page Management System (OPMS)


To enable practical use of the powerful concept of ‘systems’, you need to:About Systems (continued)…

More

Processes for effective integration of ideas not EFFECTIVE in Management Science!(c) GS Chandy 146

Grab hold of all good ideas available! Record (and clarify) those ideas!

Idea Generation tools

Put ideas together into an effective Action Plan!

•Interpretive Structural Modeling

•Field Representation Method

Processes to accomplish this task barely known to Management Science as it

exists today! Integrate everything to create a true system!

One Page Management System (OPMS)

...processes to accomplish these tasks quite well known in Management Science –

which alas are not effectively applied because of the lack of the requirements

sketched next...

…well known in Management Science, not effectively used…


These processes that today are not understood in management science

are in fact the whole OPMS story!

About Systems (continued)…

Ashby’s Law CONTENTS


Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety

Another formulation:(1) the amount of appropriate selection that can be performed is limited by the amount of information available. (2) for appropriate regulation the variety in the regulator must be equal to or greater than the variety in the system being regulated. Or, the greater the variety within a system, the greater its ability to reduce variety in its environment through regulation. Only variety (in the regulator) can destroy variety (in the system being regulated). -- Principia Cybernetica Web - http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/ASC/LAW_VARIE.html

Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety:The larger the variety of actions

available to a control system, the larger the variety of perturbations it

is able to compensate-- Principia Cybernetica

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/REQVAR.html

For all OPMS purposes, our ‘Simple Simon’ definition meets all needs – and satisfies all the ‘content’ of Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety…

(c) GS Chandy OPMS General -2012 148Contents-2 Background

“The dimensions of a proposed solution to any problem should match the dimensions of the problem itself”

Law of Requisite Variety (‘Simple Simon version’):

Variety: The total number of possible states of a system, or of an element of a system

We provide here a formal definition of ‘variety’ and a formal statement of

Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety

Back – 104

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/ASC/REGULATION.html

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/ASC/VARIETY.html

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/ASC/VARIETY.html

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/ASC/LAW_VARIE.html

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/VARIETY.html

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CONTROL.html

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/REQVAR.html


About John N. WarfieldThe creator of this approach of looking at ‘systems’ in terms of

the inter-relationships between the factors of the

system under consideration


The late John N. Warfield (1925 – November 17, 2009) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Warfield

Creator of ‘usable systems science’

Information on Warfield’s work: • http://www.jnwarfield.com

• ‘The John N. Warfield Collection’, maintained at the library of George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA – see http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/gmu/vifgm00008.tp



The following slides show some examples of ‘prose + structural graphics’ (p+sg)

CONTENTS Background

Prose + structural graphics (p+sg)

Some ‘sketches’ of this very useful way of thinking

Grab Ideas Record Ideas

Organize ideas

Modify ideas

ISM FR


Arrows mean: “lead(s) to”/ “enable(s)”

Integrate ideasOPMS


Informally, learn to understand how to give power to even your

‘doodles’:

It’s simple: Just Add Relationships!


We show, briefly, a small enhancement to the language we conventionally use: we call this enhancement ‘prose + structural graphics’

(p+sg)

The structural graphics clarify and detail the relationships between the

elements in a complex system (which are generally left ambiguous in

conventional prose).

The arrow(s) stand for The arrow(s) stand for specificspecific relationship(s), relationship(s), e.g.:“leads to” e.g.:“leads to” (in this case)(in this case)

…the ideas along with the relationship(s) relationship(s) between

the ideas…

We repeat: the structural graphics clarify and detail the relationships between the elements in a complex system that are generally left ambiguous in conventional prose.

The ideas people get while they consider or work on issues in the system are precisely

those that should go into the ‘design of the desired system’ – as models showing

relationships. The OPMS process is designed specifically for this outcome.

Prose Equivalent “Idea 1 leads to Idea 2”

155

A ‘Language’ to discuss complex issues:A ‘Language’ to discuss complex issues:

‘‘prose + prose + structural graphicsstructural graphics’ (p+sg)’ (p+sg)

Idea 1Idea 1 Idea 2Idea 2

So what is/are ‘structural graphics’?Here’s a simple structural Here’s a simple structural graphic:graphic:

=

Structural Graphic

leads to

It is just this simple idea that we build on to enable us to tackle the most complex of problems and issues

MUCH more effectively than can be done in the conventional way, through standard ‘prose’


These structural graphics can come in various shapes and

forms, as (very roughly!) illustrated in the next slides…


ABC EFG


ABC

EFG

HIJ

These structural graphics have the useful property of helping significantly to clarify the minds of people who use them!

Try them out… even your informal ‘doodles’ and sketches that you make as structural graphics can significantly enhance your understanding of the systems you live in and work in! (You just need to specify the relationships clearly!)

In each case, the ‘elements of the ‘system under consideration’ may be shown in boxes or ovals, and the relationships between the elements are shown as lines or arrows linking up the boxes/ovals...

“help accomplish”

“may prevent”

These are ‘sketches’ (informal models) that can help us clarify our understanding

of the systems confronted

The relationships should always be specified!

(as illustrated…)

It’s the relationships between the elements of the system that are the key to understanding

any system!

159

These structural graphics, when allied with the conventional prose that you

already know how to use well, constitute a very powerful ‘extension’

to our normal way of thinking and discussing – we call the combination

‘prose + structural graphics’ (p+sg)


Until such time as OPMS ‘Sketchpad’ modules are ready within OPMS – try out the ‘Free Mind’ (free) and ‘Mind

Mapper’ (commercial) software, which offer some limited sketching facilities

(links provided)… (These useful software packages do not provide the full power of ‘OPMS thinking’, but they

are useful for a start)

OPMS software will soon be including practical means to enable

you to make ‘sketches’ of these structural graphics – and to link

them with your conventional prose

We strongly recommend that you should learn to create such ‘informal’ structural graphics – it will serve as a very useful

aid to your thinking. The ‘formal structural graphics’ - realised through the

Warfield tools for modeling in complex systems - are currently available in OPMS

Contents - 3

But you can always make these useful sketches even without a computer: it should become a

‘basic thinking discipline’

See Silver Dyads, Golden Triads – mind tools for ‘out-of-box thinking’ for some

rough sketches of how informal structural graphics could become most useful to help

us ‘see systems clearly’

CONTENTS

(c) GS Chandy Fundas 160

The relationships in Interpretive Structural Models are ‘transitive’, ‘transitive’, which means:

BACK

If ‘A’ ‘B’,

and if ‘B’ ‘C’,

then ‘A’ MUST ‘C’(where ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ are elements and stands for

the specific transitive relationship under consideration)

CONTENTS Contents-2 BackgroundContents - 3

161

“To propagate and apply OPMS, in India and worldwide” (M)

Our main Mission:


More

We sketch how a ‘sub’-Mission “to understand and practically

apply OPMS” (M1) – developed from our main Mission

(This will be properly understandable after you’ve looked through the OPMS process a bit)

162

“To propagate and apply OPMS, in India and worldwide” (M)

Existing structures –

under development since 1983…

Structures for CSI Workshop

(in 2012)

synchronization

Synchronization essential!

Through OPMS, it’s automatic

“may contribute

I had absolutely no worry, while preparing for this

workshop, that there might be any ‘non-synchronization!


M: “To propagate and apply OPMS, in India and worldwide” (since 1983)

Several failures

To understand and practically use the

OPMS concept in real-life situations (M1)

XX

“should contribute”

What to do to change this???

This is what (& how)

It was found that failures arose mainly from

inadequate/wrong interpretation of

models constructed

BUT:

• Successfully tested OPMS concept• Successfully found initial + some further financing • Successfully launched company• Successfully developed prototype OPMS s/w - successfully conducted workshops • Successfully even matched our ‘burn rate’!• Etc, etc, etc (a great many things done quite well)

AND STILL FAILED “to make a commercial success of

Interactive LogicWare (ILW)”!!!

Recall that we had:

10.To develop the OPMS concept to make it easily usable by all

11.To understand the causes of my/our each failure! 12.To understand successes, if any13. To counter all objections raised, in an effective

way14.To build on successes (AND failures!) encountered15. Etc, etc, etc…

1. To try OPMS out on some simple Missions2. To try OPMS out on some ‘trivial’ Missions – which

I already know to do effectively3. To get people interested in the OPMS concept4. To seek John Warfield’s thoughts about OPMS5. To seek ideas from others in JNW’s IM community6. To seek to conduct presentations about OPMS to

various organizations, institutions7. To approach TCS, IIMs, IITs, IISc, etc, etc, etc8. To develop literature describing the OPMS concept9. To conduct presentations of OPMS to various

individuals, groups, institutions, organizations

“What, in my opinion, are the THINGS TO DOto understand and practically use

the OPMS concept in real life situations?”


Therefore (over time), Mission M was modified to:

“To understand and use the OPMS concept in real-life situations” - M1

Here are a very few of the responses (as recapitulated now)

More

Model – next 2 slides

1st Trigger Question: “What, in my opinion, are the THINGS TO DO to understand

and practically use the OPMS concept?...”

Clearly M1 M, -- the contribution being very strong

This became THE QUESTION - continuingly asked over a period of many years!


Read bottom upwards, substituting “MAY CONTRIBUTE” on encountering an arrow

Page 1

Model appears on 2 slides

More

(c) GS Chandy 166

Read bottom upwards, substituting “MAY CONTRIBUTE” on encountering an arrow

Page 2

And always we have:This whole structure “To propagate and apply OPMS”, where “” means “STRONGLY CONTRIBUTES”

See next slide


To understand and practically use OPMS in real-life situations

“should contribute”

To convince people about the power of OPMS

To propagate and apply OPMS, India and worldwide


Next: Services offered

This and associated models are available for review in the “Workshop

Handbook”

168

Services offered

CONTENTS Contents-2 BackgroundContents-3

• OPMS Presentations• Introductory Workshops For individuals For organizations• OPMS Consulting Services• Facilitator Training• Software offerings: OPMS s/w for the market; spinoffs (see document)• Forthcoming ‘OPMS Book’

169

What we’re looking for:

• Opportunities to demonstrate power of OPMS – individuals; organizations (commercial; government; NGOs)• Collaborators of various types• Marketing associates• Consultants to tie up with• Finance to help us develop further

CONTENTS Contents-2 BackgroundContents-3

Our Journey Begins Now…Our Journey Begins Now…

Thank You!

…as soon as you want to start working effectively on YOUR ambitious

Mission…

…do write in to [email protected] with your requirements, suggestions,

ideas, doubts, and questions

170CONTENTS

G.S. ChandyTerrapin Station (next to AksharaMontessori Art of Learning)Sathanur Village, Bagalur P.O.PIN 562149Tel.: +91-80-2847 8881; +91-80-2279 [email protected]

opms workshop for computer society of india -- ---, 2012

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