The Basic Thinking Framework Extended 5W1H+

This is a copy from my bvotech blog The Basic Thinking Framework Extended 5W1H+.

The Basic Thinking Framework 5W1H is about understanding a system and its context. The next higher step of understanding is the ability to predict which allows us to prepare for the changes and even take pro-active action to cause the desirable to happen. Can easily extend the 5W1H framework by combining it with another set of operator such as IF, NOT, Many/Much, Else,First, Ever. The popular extensions then become:

1. What-IF.
2. Why-Not.
3. How Many/Much.
4. What-Else.
5. Who-First/Next/Last
6. When-Ever.
7. How Fast.
8. etc…

Of course, we can replace any of the W’s and H with another W’s and H and we can add What-first, Where-Ever, etc.

Such extensions expand our mind to consider other possibilities.

What-IF encourages us work out the opportunities or threats and be prepare for it. It helps us to find out the critical success factors or the choke points.

Why-Not challenges our stereotypes, biases, blind spots, assumptions and constraints. When we hear ‘it can’t be done’, we may want to ask ‘Why Not’.

How many or How much brings a sense of size and scale to our thinking. How much resources are needed? Do much time do we have? What is the capacity that our system can handle?

What-Else encourages us to continue to look for more and better solution. We have the tendency to stop once we find the first solution. It is probably the question you want to ask others who said he had the solution.

Who-First/Last reminds us to think of priority. Who goes first? What must be done first? Some things are more important than others though they may not seem urgent. Urgent thing may not be important. Important things not handled in time will become urgent things that you must handle but often you don’t have the time to give the best response.

When-ever helps us to see if our system will last. Is our system reliable? Is our system ready any time and all the time to handle any call?

How-fast reminds us the importance of responding in time though we may be ready.

You can come out with many ‘add-on’ words to help improve your thinking. A good set for innovation is BVITS Overview or Innovation Math & BVITS Tips.

Try them out on your next brain storming or problem solving session.

Lim Liat (C) 26 July 2012

HTC Internet Browser is Better than Samsung?

If you are undecided about Samsung and HTC, perhaps HTC's internet browser may help you pick HTC over Samsung. HTC's browser allows you create and edit Blogspot text and more ...

[Warning] today, 23 Sep 2012, I tried again the HTC One-X browser, it did NOT work as before. I'm not sure why. So try this first on the HTC to see if this work.] 

I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 about 1.5 year ago. I found out very quickly that I cannot use the standard browser to update or create any post on my Blogspot. I do a search on google and found out that it is indeed so. There are even apps written for us to do some simple create post job. Since we are all running Androids, I did not check this feature on other Android phones.

Recently, I bought a HTC One-X for my daughter. In playing around with the One-X, I was very surprised to discover that the HTC internet browser allowed me to create and edit my Blogspot posts. The browser behaves like my PC chrome browser.

One more thing, the Search widget that I had on my Blogspot posts does not work when I try in on my Samsung Galaxy Tab browser. It will return no documents found. However, it works well on the HTC One-X browser. In short, the HTC browser works exactly like my PC browser.

Even more interesting is that when I enlarge the page frame in the HTC browser, the text will enlarged automatically to fit the frame nicely. I don't have to pan around to read all the text.

My Galaxy Tab android is 2.3.1. So I borrowed my sister Samsung Notes to try out. Samsung Notes is using Android 4.0. However, there is not improvement in the 4.0 browser. I cannot create or edit blogspot posts and the search widget for the posts do not work either.

I still think this is strange since all are Android based.

Appreciate if you can try the above features, ability to create and edit Blogspot posts, on your Android phones and share the result.

If this is true, perhaps this may tip the your preference toward HTC if such features are important to you.

For the time being, I have to go back to my PC to do any creation and updating of Blogspot posts.

BTW, my wife iPhone 4 safari browser does not allow me to create or edit Blogspot posts too.

If you know how to set up the iPhone or Android that allow creation and editing of Blogspot posts, please use the comment to show me how. Thanks in advance.

Stage 5 Growth - 8 Keys for Scaling Up

Growth comes by having the following 8 positive keys. They are like eight horses to be added into your growth engine for increasing its horsepower. 1 Accumulation of little and caring for details. 2 Steady Progress and don't give up. 3 Beauty and Gracefulness. 4 Nourishment and Self-reliance. 5 Going a Little Further to Stand out. 6 Progress  righteously and courageously. 7 Rising in faithfulness and loyalty. 8 Management of Diffusion or Viral Spreading.

Overcoming obstacles and impedance as discussed Stage 4 Overcome Obstacles - Some Nuggets from I-Ching is just reducing the load and drags. We must build up greater horse-power in our engine to move forward quickly. These are the eight positive steps that you can take to increase the power and speed to grow quickly. 

K1 Accumulation of Little and Caring for Details - #09 小畜 Small Accumulation 

Accumulation of little makes a big difference over time. Small defects not taken care of will become a big problem when the scale is enlarged. Hence, take care of the details and never ignore it because it is small. Luxurious and quality goods are found in the details. It is better to fix any defect or problem when the firm is small and it is easy to change. Many business fails in the growing stage because of problems that were not fixed earlier and show up when the business increases. There is a big difference between Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. When is successful in the laboratory need to be redesigned and engineered for large scale manufacturing and production. You need greater precision and robustness for scaling up. You need to remove human dependency to a minimum and to institutionalize and automate for smooth growth.

See also Dollar Saved is Different from Dollar Earned 09小畜 Small Accumulation

K2 Steady Progress and Don't give up - #53 渐 Gradual 

The Summit of the Mountain is reached step by step and maintaining the progress. Don't give up because the progress is slow. A few more steps and you will be there. Learn and overcome the obstacles encountered on the way. Motivate yourself to continue. Make adjustment to move in the right direction.

K3 Beauty and Gracefulness - #22賁 Adornment - Shibumi

Progress comes by making yourself or your offering attractive. You must have beauty in appearance and gracefulness in behavior reflecting the good character within. Beauty is a dynamic interplay of gentleness and strengths, hardness and softness. It is simplicity, purity and elegance with depth.

K4 Nourishment and Self-reliance - #27 頤 Cheek

We develop ourselves two ways – our character and our strength in our heart, mind & body. Grow up to be self-reliance and independent. Then we may be able to enter into healthy relationship with others. We keep our body healthy and youthful by controlling our eating, drinking and exercise. We also care for others by working with and developing talented people and to contribute to the society. A meaningful life makes a happy heart and a healthy life.

Apple Inc always has the human design, software and hardware capability with them. They bought over smaller companies with the key capabilities that they need. They only outsource its manufacturing. Google, the software guy, bought Motorola's Mobile division to add hardware capability.

K5 Going a Little Further to Stand out - #62 小过 Little Excess

This is about going the extra mile, taking the extra effort to standout. For the righteous and good things, do a little more than expected. It will create delights. For the bad things, correct the little mistakes before they become disaster. Be watchful of the little signs of deviations from normal, they are alerts. Take heed. Follow the trend and just stay a little ahead of others, to be in the leading edge. Excessively ahead is called the bleeding edge of big losses.

This is summarized well by Art Linkletter, successful TV host and business man that lived to 97, who said, "Do a little more than you’re paid to. Give a little more than you have to. Try a little harder than you want to. Aim a little higher than you think possible, and give a lot of thanks to God for health, family, and friends."

K6 Progress Righteously and Courageously - #35 晋 Progress 

Progress brings rewards and powerful connection. They come from perseverance in righteous character and courageous behavior. The proven righteousness shines out brightly and influence others. Staying course, overcoming obstacles but do not progress into a corner and get stuck!

K7 Rising in faithfulness and loyalty - #46 升 Rising

Rising comes by picking and following the right Leaders faithfully. Firstly, pick leaders that share our convictions and ambitions of life. We then follow them faithfully and diligently. Accumulation of performance little by little over time will bring about great rising. We don’t always have to take the lead to be successful. We can follow the successful and righteous people. Be faithful to the them brings promotion. This is "Principles Centered Following"!

K8 Management of Diffusion or Viral Spreading - #59 渙 Dispersion

How we can spread things quickly and widely. Here are the keys:

1. A Strong Core: Must be anchored on righteousness and meaningfulness. You must have core strengths.
2. A Soft & Attractive Exterior. It influences by winning the heart rather than forcing its ways. Following rather than overcoming is faster and easier to spread. Meeting the needs rather than forcing what one think is good.
3. An Iconic Symbol or Branding. It is better to have a iconic object displaying your core values and strengths that others may easily recognize.
4. Viral spreading. Dispersion of bad like flood waters or disease need to be controlled. It is best to isolate them. The viral spreading can be copied in the way you spread your offering or influence. Influence the key leaders of communities and they will spread in their communities. Have reprehensibility in your offering.

Please go through the above list for yourself or for your offerings and ensure you or they have the attributes for growth. You can learn where you can improve and I wish you the very in your career and your business.

Follow This Series Making I-Ching Come Alive!

Previous:Stage 4 Overcome Obstacles - Some Nuggets from I-Ching
Next:Stage 6 Success that Lasts - 5 Keys for Staying at the Top

Lim Liat (C) 10 July 2012