impact – Page 30 – ORGANIZING CREATIVITY

Expert Feedback on a PhD Thesis

2014-04-20

If you do not have a knowledgeable supervisor involved in your PhD thesis, you are pretty much screwed. Here's why (hint: project planning). (image on left from a workshop on scientific writing)
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Using that Conference Poster Session

2014-04-17

Conference posters are often dreaded, as peddling the findings like a beggar on the street. But poster sessions allow for face-to-face interactions in a way no presentation or keynote can -- if you plan it right.
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Change needs experience

2014-04-14

Why old(er) people might have an advantage when it comes to being creative -- if they learn to use it.
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Dealing with Negative Comments

2014-04-13

Some ways to handle criticism, including how the people in the image on the left dealt with it (Banner on the site of the National Post, advertising their feedback videos.).
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Minimum Requirements to React to Comments

2014-04-11

How Graham's Hierarchy of Disagreement might be used in a discussion -- to ignore comments below a certain threshold, and to get an idea of the argumentative qualities of the people taking part in the discussion. Also: Viking Ships.
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Other Criteria for Good Discussions

2014-04-10

Two other criteria for good discussions: a level playing field (in several variables) and open outcomes. Yup, good discussions are rare for a reason.
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Hierarchy of Agreement

2014-04-07

I've adapted Graham's "Hierarchy of Disagreement" to evaluate different forms of agreement. After all, not all agreement is equal(ly good).
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Online Discussions

2014-04-06

There are some very good rules for online discussions -- esp. whether it really makes sense to discuss with this nut-job. Includes Rational Debating by JT (image to the left) and the Hierarchy of Disagreement by Paul Graham. Really good stuff to know.
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I can see and hear you now

2014-04-04

Chances are, people can easily monitor you via your webcam -- without the nice little light turning on. But there is a quick and easy solution that does not involve going rustic, or taking out the soldering gun.
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Recommendation: How to Survive a Plague

2014-04-03

Recommendation for a really good movie (DVD cover on the left side) and a few reasons why I think it really is good.
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This is a private blog showing my opinions. If you have an issue with what I write here, either don’t read it or talk to me directly. Don’t waste your time — or mine — dragging my employer into matters where they hold no authority.

The institution I work for, or rather the people officially representing it, have already distanced themselves from this blog. I find this unnecessary, as I’ve clearly stated in the «About this Blog» section that this is a personal blog.

Frankly, I have nothing but contempt for those who lack the backbone to address their concerns directly and instead resort to passive-aggressive tattling to others. Such behavior strikes me as not only cowardly, but also spineless, gutless, and wholly unprincipled. Moreover, these efforts are as pathetic as they are futile.

That said, I might listen if you present compelling arguments and evidence, as constructive feedback is always welcome. Who knows? We might even both gain something valuable from the interaction.

A comment for those seeking to use this site for personal gain: Given the increase in requests, let me be clear. I write on this blog because I want to. It’s my hobby, my playground. Sometimes people point me to interesting products/services and I write about them. But any request regarding ads or sponsored placements ends up the trash without a reply. And if you think something would be of interest, differentiate yourself from the spammers by referring to a posting — in an intelligent way. (I get enough auto-generated mails to identify them immediately.)

BTW, posts can get updated after I published them if I spot spelling errors (not a native speaker) or think a different wording might improve precision and clarity.

This blog is not focused on a single topic, or method. As long as it is relevant to improving creativity (or allowing it in the first place), it's fair game.
Some postings on this blog deal with freedom, as I think that we need freedom of thought, of speech, of association, etc. pp. to solve mankind's problems. Thus, some postings may seem a bit remote when it comes to organizing creativity. Freedom is, however, the bedrock of creativity.
The heterogeneity of the postings can make reading this blog a bit cumbersome, at least if you are only interested in one topic. You can either use the search function (above), or use the categories or the tags to narrow down the postings you see.