Replying to LO28516 --
Doug,
I enjoyed reading your contribution, although I don't immediately agree
with my simplistic reactions to your description of exchange of
"half-baked" ideas. I've got to mull that one over, because I think
fruitful exchanges that have the vitamin C of Kiwis can surely contain
half-baked ideas which are then re-panned and replaced in the oven to cook
more evenly. It all depends on how its done, you're saying. I think.
Another thing struck me. you wrote:
> Some organizations solve these "contracting problems" by radically
> changing the organizational economics for information exchange.
Yes. I experience this each and every time I facilitate the use of
advanced affinity diagramming (using the "KJ" or Language Processing
Method) with a group of individuals who view their initial ideas as
ostensibly so disparate as to defy direction and consensus. To members of
the group, the initial offerings may be secretly, tacitly held to be
half-baked. As the exercise continues, the affinities develop via the
contract of group consensus, and direction achieved.
These diagrams surely constitute the most potent tool in my arsenal,
because it's at such a good level of abstraction, yet universally
applicable for both collection of images (an "Image KJ") and problem
definition around a weakness-based theme ("What prevents the Customer
Service Group from answering affiliate-phoned questions at once?").
Anyway, you struck an A above C with your post.
Best,
Barry
--Barry Mallis The Organizational Trainer 110 Arch St., #27 Keene, NH 03431-2167 USA voice: 603 352-5289 FAX: 603 357-2157 cell: 603 313-3636 email: theorgtrainer@earthlink.net
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