how to be a professional - content

The difference between professionals and amateur speculators is the difference between knowing what WILL work and speculating what CAN work. Keith's method of being a professional:

• Identify the problem
• Identify conditions under which the problem occurs
• Find causal relationship, and be able to explain the relationship of the conditions and the problem
• Confirm you've identified the problem with all available methods: precedent, math, simulation, experiment
• Kevin's debugging mantra "I'm almost from Missouri (show me)." Nothing can be assumed until it's been verified at its lowest level
• Find a solution
• make sure the intended consequence will result, using as many methods as are available (precedent, math, simulation, experiment)
  
• what are the tradeoffs
• what are the risks taken on by implementing the solution
• If the solution requires too many blocks to all fall into place in order to work, then it is risky. A robust solution is not built like a house of cards, and will not be defeated entirely in the event of unpredictable failures or small losses.
• If there are alternative states of operation, how will the change affect them
• What will be the effect of non-idealities on the solution
•  Document the solution and the problem throughout the process
• presentation material can often be shortened versions of notes
• Schedule what will happen, not what could happen, watch the schedule daily
• knowing this comes with experience, so make note of experiences
• account for time for seemingly menial tasks
• don't transmit schedule beyond planners until unknowns are eliminated
• CHECK THE SCHEDULE before it comes up; know everything coming up in the next week.
• Maintain a list of items that need to be done
• record start date, end date, estimated and actual time for completion, what the solution was after fixing it, date fixed, etc. FOR EVERYTHING!
• When you receive input/suggestions add it immediately, no matter what, can comment it out later if needed
• Do not get told twice to do something!
• Likewise, when sending instructions to other parties, don't consider the item completed until a response has been received.
  

This method can be applied to nearly any scenario requiring problem solving - engineering, chess, Occupy, etc. As difficult as it may be to be diligent throughout this process, these are only the more tangible steps. Still need to identify and define the intangible keys to being a professional. I'm sure there are books written on the subject.

catching up a bit

Catching up for whatever I can remember from the last few days:

• Great orators sound ridiculous when they say really ordinary things, like "twitter," "google," or -- heaven forbid -- "go fuck yourself." I wish I could remember that episode of Colbert
• 8 steps to success number 4 (find a link to the other keys) - Double your rate of failure -- don't be afraid to fail at doing things no one else is trying. ~business radio 105.5
• Be cognizant of when speech/communication is being driven/controlled by another. If you want to be persuasive, take charge of the conversation. Don't be afraid to slow it down, break up the flow with a joke, etc.
• haha “then she has this laugh like, it's not even a laugh, it's more like a scream with spaces in it” ~Natasha Leggero
• Trillion Dollar Bet - story of Long Term Capital Management - somewhat explains how the minimization of risk is the mathematical incentive for making as many financial bets as possible.
• Vocab: consummate (as an adjective) - the ultimate, the perfect, the example ____. 
• haha "If he's here, who's running hell?" - Van Wilder