Us, Systems and Nodes

Something that connects innovation and strategy for a smarter future

Software and tools can only take us so far. Evaluating and improving ways of work is how resilience is built, especially in times of change.

Most of the work that people do consists of a combination of tasks, a task is a unit of activity that an individual performs to accomplish the work.

"Squares with Concentric Circles", Wassily Kandinsky (1913)

A job is a collection of multiple tasks. For instance, a product designer aims to achieve the best user experience. To accomplish this, they perform various tasks such as interacting with users, building personas, creating wireframes, prototyping, communicating with stakeholders, and so on. These tasks can further be broken down into sub-tasks, like sending emails, planning schedules, and prioritizing features.

Close up James portait, Chuck Close (2002)

Determining which tasks to automate requires a balanced approach when integrating automated systems into any context, whether in product development or in jobs that meet individual needs.

Automating the easy makes the difficult even more challenging. By automating simple tasks, the tasks that remain tend to be more complex and demanding, requiring specialized skills and knowledge. Additionally, the loss of practice in basic tasks can make it more difficult to handle system failures.

Exceptions are the rule. Automated systems often encounter scenarios that were not anticipated in their programming, making human interventions essential to deal with exceptions. This requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to unexpected situations.

The least flexible part has more power to impose its will. Automation systems are programmed to follow strict patterns and often determine how operations are conducted, imposing their "will" on humans and other more adaptable systems. A power dynamic unbalanced by the rigidity of automation can limit human flexibility.

Close up James portait, Chuck Close (2002)

How we work is as important as the work we are doing, and the way we choose to work makes all the difference

"The Size of the World", Vik Muniz (2008)

As automation systems become more advanced, they can also become more complex and difficult to operate, requiring human training and expertise. Furthermore, new types of failures can emerge, often less understood.

"Mad World", Vik Muniz (2008)

Structures that do not have ready-made answers but the right questions help in strategizing and visualizing the "Big Picture." By recognizing and anticipating risks and opportunities, it is possible to develop systems and adopt Augmented Humanity aplications that complement human skills and flexibility, improving the ways of working and consequently expanding human abilities.

¹ Something like A Trip to the Moon with Algo Aí

² Job To Be Done adapted to Wardley Map

³ Ways of Working for portfolio strategy