Learn from your journey!

Article#: 00062

Date: 2021-06-22

Author: Radim

Often and repeatedly think about what you have been doing.
Think about what you did well and what could be done better.
Also, ask your co-workers and customers what they think of the progress and what they would do better.

Do not leave lessons learned from the project after its completion. Start compiling the list of experiences from day one.
Ask your team every day: What can we do better right now?

"Get the process right and then repeat it. Learn what did not work and then avoid it in the future." - William Edwards Deming

Find out what should be done the same way next time and what needs to be done differently.
Look for practical steps you can take to prevent mistakes from happening again in the future.
Don't forget to look for successes that should be repeated.
Even what went smoothly may have some instructions in it. This means that we have to find out which procedures work and then emphasize and use them whenever possible.

Make conclusions and write down what you found.
Make sure the people you work with agree with your listings.

When you start a new project. Go through everything you have learned from previous projects and gain the experience of the members of your team.
Plan how and when all the individual experiences will be used in the new project.

If we want our project to be characterized by productivity and creativity, then we cannot prevent mistakes. But we have to learn from mistakes so that we don't repeat them.
The essence of the art of learning is that we must be aware of what happened. Only then can we look for lessons and ways to remedy this.

© Radim-Automation, 2020–2025. All rights reserved.
Sharing of this article is permitted with proper attribution (link to the original page).

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Comment#: 00001

Date: 2021-07-01

User: Radim

"There are lessons to be learned from failure, if only we are willing to find and examine them."
- Jeffrey K. Pinto, Om P. Kharbanda. Business Horizons (1996). How to fail in project management (without really trying) (Page 45).

Comment#: 00002

Date: 2021-07-01

User:

Good reminder of things we need to do!

Do not leave lessons learned from the project after its completion. Start compiling the list of experiences from day one.
Ask your team every day: What can we do better right now?

Comment#: 00003

Date: 2022-06-03

User: Radim

Unfortunately, people from successful teams get ripped off and thrown into "firefighting" tasks. This means that successful teams with less and less capacity will achieve less and less further success.

Comment#: 00004

Date: 2022-06-25

User: Radim

"One of the best techniques we have ever witnessed was used by a project director who developed a chronicel of past failures and their causes. He became so attuned to the evidence of potential failure that he was often able to detect problems before they had become apparent to others in his organization."
- Jeffrey K. Pinto, Om P. Kharbanda. Business Horizons (1996). How to fail in project management (without really trying) (Page 51).

Comment#: 00005

Date: 2022-08-05

User: Radim

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
- Albert Einstein

Comment#: 00006

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"Whenever you're working on something, ask, "Is there an easier way?" You'll often find this easy way is more than good enough for now. Problems are usually pretty simple. We just imagine that they require hard solutions."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00007

Date: 2022-10-22

User: Radim

"What do you really learn from mistakes? You might learn what not to do again, but how valuable is that? You still don’t know what you should do next.
Contrast that with learning from your successes. Success gives you real ammunition. When something succeeds, you know what worked - and you can do it again. And the next time, you’ll probably do it even better.
Failure is not a prerequisite for success. Success is the experience that actually counts.
That shouldn’t be a surprise: It’s exactly how nature works. Evolution doesn’t linger on past failures, it’s always building upon what worked. So should you."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00008

Date: 2022-11-25

User: Radim

"Listening to customers is the best way to get in tune with a product's strengths and weaknesses.
Also, remember that negative reactions are almost always louder and more passionate than positive ones. In fact, you may hear only negative voices even when the majority of your customers are happy about a change. Make sure you don't foolishly backpedal on a necessary but controversial decision."
Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.

Comment#: 00010

Date: 2023-08-11

User: Radim

"How to eliminate fifty percent of your business worries.

Everyone who wishes to present a problem to me must first prepare and submit a memorandum answering these four questions:
1. What is the problem?
2. What is the cause of the problem?
3. What are all the possible solutions of the problem?
4. What solution do you suggest?

My associates rarely come to me now with their problems. Why? Because they've discovered that in order to answer those four questions, they have to get all the facts and think their problems through. And they've done that, they find in three-fourths of the the cases they don't have to consult me at all because the proper solution has popped out like a piece o fbread popping up from an electric toaster. Even in those cases where consultation is snecessary the discussion takes about one-third of the time formely required because it proceeds along an orderly, logical path to a reason conclusion."

- Dale Carnegie. Crescent News (1944). How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzlc_N2yxw (01:07:50 - 01:09:53)

Comment#: 00011

Date: 2023-08-11

User: Radim

"Basic techniques in analysing worry:
Rule 1 - get the fact. Half the worry in the wold is caused by people trying to make decisions before they have sufficient knowledge on which to base a decision.
Rule 2 - after carefully weighing all the facts come to a decision.
Rule 3 - once a decision is carefully reached, act, get busy carrying out your decision and dismiss all enxiety about the outcome.
Rule 4 - when you or any of your associates are tempted to worry about a problem, write out and anser the following questions:
a) What is the problem?
b) What is the cause of the problem?
c) What are all possible solutions?
d) What is the best solution?"

- Dale Carnegie. Crescent News (1944). How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzlc_N2yxw (01:12:50 - 01:13:50)

Comment#: 00012

Date: 2023-08-17

User: Radim

Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over?

"The saying "There's never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over" reflects a common observation about human behavior and project management. It suggests that people often rush through tasks or projects initially, hoping to save time and effort, but end up making mistakes or producing subpar results. As a result, they eventually need to invest more time and resources to fix those mistakes or redo the work properly.

There are several reasons why this phenomenon occurs:

1. Underestimation of Complexity: People might underestimate the complexity or difficulty of a task or project at the outset. This can lead to inadequate planning and allocation of resources, resulting in mistakes or oversights.

2. Pressure to Meet Deadlines: There is often pressure to complete tasks or projects quickly to meet deadlines. This can lead to shortcuts being taken or important steps being skipped in the interest of saving time.

3. Lack of Attention to Detail: When rushing through a task, individuals might not pay enough attention to details, leading to errors that require corrections later.

4. Overconfidence: Sometimes, people might overestimate their abilities or knowledge, leading them to believe they can complete a task quickly without proper preparation or diligence.

5. Incomplete Information: In some cases, tasks or projects might be started without having all the necessary information or requirements. This can lead to incorrect assumptions and decisions.

6. Limited Resources: Constraints on resources such as time, money, or manpower might force people to cut corners initially, with the intention of fixing things later when more resources are available.

7. Learning Curve: Sometimes, tasks involve new skills or technologies that individuals need to learn along the way. Initial attempts might be suboptimal as people are still acquiring the necessary expertise.

The saying serves as a reminder that investing the necessary time and effort upfront to do a task properly can save more time and resources in the long run. Proper planning, attention to detail, and thorough execution can help prevent mistakes and the need for redoing work.

However, it's worth noting that the saying is not universally true. In some cases, rushing through tasks might yield acceptable results, and redoing work might not be necessary. It all depends on the nature of the task, the level of expertise involved, and the specific circumstances."

- https://chat.openai.com (Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, but always enough time to do it over?)

Comment#: 00013

Date: 2023-09-15

User: Radim

Complaints and identified problems are good sources of innovation.

Comment#: 00014

Date: 2023-09-27

User: Radim

"By continuously improving the design of code, we make it easier and easier to work with.
This is in sharp contrast to what typically happens: little refactoring and a great deal of attention paid to expediently add new features.
If you get into the hygienic habit of refactoring continuously, you'll find that it is easier to extend and maintain code."

- Joshua Kerievsky. Addison-Wesley (2004). Refactoring to Patterns.

Comment#: 00015

Date: 2023-10-02

User: Radim

How to get the right intuition?

"Developing and honing your intuition can be a valuable skill, but it's important to remember that intuition is inherently subjective and can't always be "right" in an objective sense. However, you can work on improving the accuracy and reliability of your intuition by following these tips:

1. Increase Your Knowledge and Experience: The more you know about a particular subject or domain, the better your intuition is likely to be within that area. Gain expertise and experience through study, practice, and exposure.

2. Trust Your Gut: Pay attention to your gut feelings or initial impressions. Sometimes, your subconscious mind processes information faster than your conscious mind, leading to intuitive insights. Don't dismiss these feelings outright; give them consideration.

3. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings. This self-awareness can improve your ability to recognize and trust your intuition.

4. Keep a Journal: Maintain a journal where you record your intuitive hunches and the outcomes. Over time, this can help you assess the accuracy of your intuition and learn from your experiences.

5. Seek Feedback: Discuss your intuitive insights with trusted friends, mentors, or colleagues. They can provide valuable perspectives and help you refine your intuition by offering feedback on your decisions.

6. Validate with Data: When possible, seek out data or information that can confirm or refute your intuitive impressions. This can help you develop a more evidence-based form of intuition.

7. Relax and Clear Your Mind: High-stress levels or a cluttered mind can cloud your intuition. Engage in relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to clear your mind and enhance your intuitive abilities.

8. Ask Open-Ended Questions: When facing a problem or decision, ask yourself open-ended questions and let your mind wander. This can stimulate creative and intuitive thinking.

9. Learn from Mistakes: Embrace your intuition's imperfections. When your intuition leads you astray, use those experiences as learning opportunities. Analyze what went wrong and adjust your intuition accordingly.

10. Practice Patience: Sometimes, intuition needs time to develop. Don't rush your decision-making process if you're unsure. Give yourself the space to allow your intuition to emerge.

11. Combine with Analysis: Balance your intuition with analytical thinking. For important decisions, use your intuition as an initial guide but then follow up with critical analysis and data-driven assessment.

12. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence: Understand and manage your emotions effectively. Emotional intelligence can enhance your ability to perceive and interpret your own and others' emotional signals, which can inform your intuition.

Remember that intuition can vary from person to person, and it's not always infallible. It's a skill that you can refine over time, but it's also important to recognize its limitations and use it as a complementary tool alongside rational thinking and evidence-based decision-making when appropriate."

- https://chat.openai.com (How to get the right intuition?)

Comment#: 00016

Date: 2023-10-04

User: Radim

"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow."
- Plato

Comment#: 00018

Date: 2023-10-06

User: Radim

"Having the right boss early in your career is a huge blessing."
- Sandeep M.

Comment#: 00019

Date: 2024-03-25

User: Radim

Remove the "ballast" from the program!

Only include things in the program that are really needed. Unnecessary parts of the code in the program become obsolete, untested, raise unnecessary questions and are a source of ambiguity.

Sometimes it is a good idea to try more than one way in practice to find out which way is the best. However, once we have decided on a particular approach, it is important to consolidate our methods and remove the outdated ones. By removing "ballast" from the program, we eliminate potential sources of confusion and improve the overall quality of the code.