Normally sitting at the doctor’s office waiting for the doctor isn’t my idea of a good time. However, my office now does everything on a computer – so while you are in the room and waiting, a screen saver flashes a variety of documents and graphics portraying the values of the organization and offering clever mnemonics to improve communication, effectiveness and problem solving. Ironic as it may be to find applicable information in a doctor’s office; there are a few of the ideas that are worth presenting.
SBAR
Situation: the current problem at hand
Background: review of pertinent information
Assessment of urgency, options, and course of action to take
Recommendations for proceeding
The 4 P’s
Plan: what happens next
Purpose of Plan: What is the desired effect and why
Problems: What are the known complications that will occur within the plan
Precautions: Expected or possible complications
One was about in taking information:
Qualify: is this accurate?
Validate: Does it seem right?
Verify: Seek independent reliable source
The last reminds us before doing a task to:
Stop & focus
Think about what we are doing
Act
Review – was this the right thing to do.
In the SBAR example I like the reminder to think about urgency. Some things must be dealt with right away, other don’t. Tasks expand or contract (to a certain extent) to fit the available time. If you are really busy, you may just need to “get it done” and move forward – for example, you sand the piece but stop at 100 grit paper. When you have all the time in the world, perhaps you would continue to sand through more grits ending in 200. There are some things that you need to do “correctly” because if you don’t you will likely end up doing it a second time. But many times good is good enough. The key here is knowing the difference.
In the 4 P’s I like including the purpose of the plan. While the purpose may seem obvious, I can’t tell you how many times two people can read the same email or look at the same drawing and have two different ideas about what they read, how to proceed, or what they end result is. Today I ordered 2 white globes. I had originally asked for “frosted” as per design specs. When the price came back much higher than what was originally estimated, the answer was the white was estimated – not frosted. There is obviously a difference between the two, but in this case, on stage, 50’ from the nearest audience member, with dancers in front, white was close enough for the desired effect. In fact, it is possible that the frosted piece would have showed too much of the internal workings. Sometimes the true literal translation isn’t really what is needed. In this case white was cheaper, and possibly more effective.
In terms of qualifying and evaluation information I think it can be important to test your assumptions, but also run new information by your own gut response. In the globe example above this process was essentially used because when I heard the pricing for the frosted pieces my gut reaction was “no way, these should be a ¼ of that”… I sought more information and worked out the best solution.
As for the last item, occasionally I find myself half way through a project when I realize that there is a better way of doing something. Perhaps working through each step before the first step could avoid this. I also like the process of review as this is an essential step for learning.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Hardware Hangers
While looking through a trade magazine, I found some hardware that looks useful. The "Pick-N-Hook" works with corrugated plastic - you insert it into the opening between the ribs, and you can tie on fishing line, string, or whatever your cable is. The "Twist-N-Hook" works on foam board or gator foam. Seems like it would be useful for temporary displays, portfolio presentations and so forth.
Please note that these hardware units are not rated, are not approved "rigging hardware" and should not be used in any situation where the item hung could pose a danger to someone underneath if it fell.
Please note that these hardware units are not rated, are not approved "rigging hardware" and should not be used in any situation where the item hung could pose a danger to someone underneath if it fell.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Past Year
Cleaning up the blog a little and saw that I never finished this post... Nothing like being 8 months late...
Speaking of reflection... though it is past the start of the new year, it is still appropriate to take a look back and how things have went.
-Work has been slow, even though I have taken over rentals where I work in addition to the normal project management jobs. There's been a little theatre, alot of museum work, a little film / TV stuff, and of course a variety of industrial.
-I started on another Masters degree. This one in Interdisciplinary Studies, where I can design my own curriculum. I enjoy learning, and I enjoy teaching and I firmly think that while theatrical knowledge is important, that knowledge from a wide variety of sources is also important. While I concentrated on Technical Production / Leadership & Non-Profit Management & theatre history during my MFA, this time I am expanding into administration, HR, Marketing, Psychology of learning, and curriculum design. One of these days I am going to pursue learning German, because one day I would like to get a doctorate in theatre history (with a focus on the history of stagecraft).
Currently, as of August 2011, I can add more:
-My partner and I are expecting a little girl in a month.
-Owning a home and becoming a parent are dangerous endeavors to technical minded people. We know how to do just enough that the home improvement projects never seem to go away because we know we can make something better....
-that ironically the class I took on the psychology of learning was perhaps the worst class that I have ever took in my academic career. One would think that if you are teaching a course like that, that you would follow the dictates of what you teach.
-I have learned alot in the past year and a half though:
-human development (babies & about how people learn)
-How to tile, do flooring, and other home repair that isn't common theatrical carpentry skills
Life is a mix of continual self improvement (I try..., taking more and more steps to solidify my family (house bought check, daughter on the way check) and burn out. Its hard to work full time, have a fun / busy outside life, see all of the family scattered around the country, keeping up with scattered friends, keep up with routine chores & redo most of your house. Unfortunately, I don't keep up to date as much as I would like on this blog.
The blog is a tricky thing - on one hand I use it as a depository for all of the random buts of knowledge that I find. I often come and search my own blog to find the resources that sells balls or game pieces or fake rivets.... Sometimes searching my blog and not finding a resource leads me to sourcing it on the net & recording what I find here. A goal of mine is to write a book about technical direction, and I am sure that I will mine my thoughts from this sight for that as well. I hope to start focusing a little more on theatre history as well & document that here. So some of my motivation is personal.
The flip side is that I recognize that our industry doesn't do well at recording documentation what what we learn - individually or collectively. I see it in the industry at large and even where I work. While judging and editing the tech expo entries it inevitably comes up that an entry isn't unique, but also not recorded. Ideally, the tech expo - Yale Tech Brief's, the Answer box section of Stage Directions all would only showcase new innovative techniques. But what really is new and innovative. Something that is new and innovative for me might be old news to someone else. How many steps away from "common use" must something be before it is "new and improved". And where does the "common knowledge" get stored. No one is going to read every stagecraft book - and while most contain the same basics, often each author will bring something different to the table. And a stagecraft book only teaches the basics, and often can't or doesn't reflect individual preferences. Do you wrap the muslin on flats or cut the edges? Wrapping can cause bad seams - cutting can allow the fabric to peel up. Many people have a strong preference. I think it would be interesting to see USITT do a rock exhibit where you create a fake rock and explain / document your process. from foam to chicken wire to cnc cut whatever - to which kind of covering you apply, I'll bet you could have a 100 different rocks all made differently. And sometimes one choice would be better than another - smooth or rough textures might be important in one production but not the next. A touring show may need a robust urethane hard coat, while another could get by with white glue / water and muslin cover. One might be the fastest, one might be the cheapest. One might be cheaper in material but be labor intensive, one might have pricey materials but need less labor. Each shop, each production, each use could mandate a different technique. But whats best? It's personal opinion based on your previous experiences.... and that means that everyone has a different answer. How to pool all of this information and make it user friendly, easy to use, to find, and relevant?
I mentioned our failure to document a project where I work to our electrician the other day. The project involved an interactive that had various parts of an animals body light up based on which button was pressed by the guest. One button lit up the intestines, one the reproduction systems and so forth. We tried 4 or 5 different items, and the end result was a very simple one with individual sockets and light bulbs & the LED's were completely eliminated. But we didn't document the process. Why did the product not work - what did it look like, and could it be used in a different situation? While theoretically the people involved in the project know those answers, time changes your recollections & things are forgotten. Remembering what doesn't work is as important as know what does. My coworkers defense was that he remembered the project and what happened and what everything looked like. Yet, I talked to this same coworker about a different project a few days after that - and I asked him to set up two roll drops the same way we did for job X, and though he did the work the last time, he had no recall of how it was done. Hence despite his argument for the lack of need for documentation, he demonstrated the need. Not to mention the issue that comes up when he isn't around to answer a question about a past job.
Ultimately theatre, like some other trades, teach skills based on a cognitive apprenticeship scheme. A mentor takes in younger apprentices and teaches them what they need to know. However this ultimately is based on the skill of the mentor and the available opportunities for learning that the mentor can place the mentoree in. For instance when I was young, many of the places I worked in didn't do a lot of automation, and hence, I wasn't able to play with and learn automation until I was older. While I like the concept of this approach, there are obvious flaws in the system. Plus, technology and the Internet & social networking introduces a vast new way of teaching and learning in today's world. Hopefully, this blog has a place in that new world.
Speaking of reflection... though it is past the start of the new year, it is still appropriate to take a look back and how things have went.
-Work has been slow, even though I have taken over rentals where I work in addition to the normal project management jobs. There's been a little theatre, alot of museum work, a little film / TV stuff, and of course a variety of industrial.
-I started on another Masters degree. This one in Interdisciplinary Studies, where I can design my own curriculum. I enjoy learning, and I enjoy teaching and I firmly think that while theatrical knowledge is important, that knowledge from a wide variety of sources is also important. While I concentrated on Technical Production / Leadership & Non-Profit Management & theatre history during my MFA, this time I am expanding into administration, HR, Marketing, Psychology of learning, and curriculum design. One of these days I am going to pursue learning German, because one day I would like to get a doctorate in theatre history (with a focus on the history of stagecraft).
Currently, as of August 2011, I can add more:
-My partner and I are expecting a little girl in a month.
-Owning a home and becoming a parent are dangerous endeavors to technical minded people. We know how to do just enough that the home improvement projects never seem to go away because we know we can make something better....
-that ironically the class I took on the psychology of learning was perhaps the worst class that I have ever took in my academic career. One would think that if you are teaching a course like that, that you would follow the dictates of what you teach.
-I have learned alot in the past year and a half though:
-human development (babies & about how people learn)
-How to tile, do flooring, and other home repair that isn't common theatrical carpentry skills
Life is a mix of continual self improvement (I try..., taking more and more steps to solidify my family (house bought check, daughter on the way check) and burn out. Its hard to work full time, have a fun / busy outside life, see all of the family scattered around the country, keeping up with scattered friends, keep up with routine chores & redo most of your house. Unfortunately, I don't keep up to date as much as I would like on this blog.
The blog is a tricky thing - on one hand I use it as a depository for all of the random buts of knowledge that I find. I often come and search my own blog to find the resources that sells balls or game pieces or fake rivets.... Sometimes searching my blog and not finding a resource leads me to sourcing it on the net & recording what I find here. A goal of mine is to write a book about technical direction, and I am sure that I will mine my thoughts from this sight for that as well. I hope to start focusing a little more on theatre history as well & document that here. So some of my motivation is personal.
The flip side is that I recognize that our industry doesn't do well at recording documentation what what we learn - individually or collectively. I see it in the industry at large and even where I work. While judging and editing the tech expo entries it inevitably comes up that an entry isn't unique, but also not recorded. Ideally, the tech expo - Yale Tech Brief's, the Answer box section of Stage Directions all would only showcase new innovative techniques. But what really is new and innovative. Something that is new and innovative for me might be old news to someone else. How many steps away from "common use" must something be before it is "new and improved". And where does the "common knowledge" get stored. No one is going to read every stagecraft book - and while most contain the same basics, often each author will bring something different to the table. And a stagecraft book only teaches the basics, and often can't or doesn't reflect individual preferences. Do you wrap the muslin on flats or cut the edges? Wrapping can cause bad seams - cutting can allow the fabric to peel up. Many people have a strong preference. I think it would be interesting to see USITT do a rock exhibit where you create a fake rock and explain / document your process. from foam to chicken wire to cnc cut whatever - to which kind of covering you apply, I'll bet you could have a 100 different rocks all made differently. And sometimes one choice would be better than another - smooth or rough textures might be important in one production but not the next. A touring show may need a robust urethane hard coat, while another could get by with white glue / water and muslin cover. One might be the fastest, one might be the cheapest. One might be cheaper in material but be labor intensive, one might have pricey materials but need less labor. Each shop, each production, each use could mandate a different technique. But whats best? It's personal opinion based on your previous experiences.... and that means that everyone has a different answer. How to pool all of this information and make it user friendly, easy to use, to find, and relevant?
I mentioned our failure to document a project where I work to our electrician the other day. The project involved an interactive that had various parts of an animals body light up based on which button was pressed by the guest. One button lit up the intestines, one the reproduction systems and so forth. We tried 4 or 5 different items, and the end result was a very simple one with individual sockets and light bulbs & the LED's were completely eliminated. But we didn't document the process. Why did the product not work - what did it look like, and could it be used in a different situation? While theoretically the people involved in the project know those answers, time changes your recollections & things are forgotten. Remembering what doesn't work is as important as know what does. My coworkers defense was that he remembered the project and what happened and what everything looked like. Yet, I talked to this same coworker about a different project a few days after that - and I asked him to set up two roll drops the same way we did for job X, and though he did the work the last time, he had no recall of how it was done. Hence despite his argument for the lack of need for documentation, he demonstrated the need. Not to mention the issue that comes up when he isn't around to answer a question about a past job.
Ultimately theatre, like some other trades, teach skills based on a cognitive apprenticeship scheme. A mentor takes in younger apprentices and teaches them what they need to know. However this ultimately is based on the skill of the mentor and the available opportunities for learning that the mentor can place the mentoree in. For instance when I was young, many of the places I worked in didn't do a lot of automation, and hence, I wasn't able to play with and learn automation until I was older. While I like the concept of this approach, there are obvious flaws in the system. Plus, technology and the Internet & social networking introduces a vast new way of teaching and learning in today's world. Hopefully, this blog has a place in that new world.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Vygotsky & Theatre Training
I have been doing a little research lately on Vygotsky. Particularly with regards to scaffolding being used in mentoring relationships to help with increasing problem-solving skills for ill-defined problems. One of the articles I have been reading (Cognitive Apprenticeship in Educational Practice by Vanessa Paz Dennen) has been pretty interesting. I found the following particularly interesting:
I find this relevant to the way that we educate young TD's and theatre technicians, because I think we skip a few important steps in the process.
First, I think that both modeling and explanation can be lacking. For instance, when I was in grad school, there were students that believed that 1x3 couldn't be used to build flats because the shop we worked in used 1x4. There were particular reasons that the shop chose to use 1x4 instead of 1x3, but most students didn't think about it and "learned" that all flats should be build with 1x4.
Secondly, I think we skim on true reflection and articulation of performance. There has to be an allowance for things not going perfectly - it is academia after all, but there seems to often be an attitude that failure isn't an option.
With the number of MFA students that continue on to teaching future theatre students out there - I often wish that there was a little bit more focus on how to teach instead of just content.
Teaching and learning through cognitive apprenticeships requires making tacit processes visible to learners so they can observe and then practice them...
Modeling... the demonstration of the temporal process of thinking
Explanation: explaining why the activities take place as they do.
Coaching... the monitoring of students' activities and assisting and supporting where necessary.
Scaffolding... support of students so that they can cope with the task situation. The strategy also entails the gradual withdrawal of teaching from the process, when the students can manage on their own.
Reflection: the student assesses and analyses his performance
Articulation: the results of reflection put into verbal form
Explorations: the students are encouraged to form hypotheses, to test them, and to find new ideas and view points.
I find this relevant to the way that we educate young TD's and theatre technicians, because I think we skip a few important steps in the process.
First, I think that both modeling and explanation can be lacking. For instance, when I was in grad school, there were students that believed that 1x3 couldn't be used to build flats because the shop we worked in used 1x4. There were particular reasons that the shop chose to use 1x4 instead of 1x3, but most students didn't think about it and "learned" that all flats should be build with 1x4.
Secondly, I think we skim on true reflection and articulation of performance. There has to be an allowance for things not going perfectly - it is academia after all, but there seems to often be an attitude that failure isn't an option.
With the number of MFA students that continue on to teaching future theatre students out there - I often wish that there was a little bit more focus on how to teach instead of just content.
Monday, December 27, 2010
The Development of Scenic Spectacle
Occasionally, I come across something, a site, technique or product that I know to be really great, and realize that I haven't passed it on yet, here on my blog. As I try to use this both to help others from reinventing wheels that have previously been invented and improved upon, and as a depository of ideas, I need to pass on Dr. Frank Mohler's site The Development of Scenic Spectacle. I have been referring to the site on and off for years after discovering it in grad school doing research. On the site there are animated models of how historic rigging / automation worked from the 16th, 17th, and 18th century. The site also has a great bibliography. Check it out - you won't be disappointed.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Nuts and Bolt Resources
A few resources I came across looking for "the perfect fastener" for a recent product. None of these places are bolt suppliers - but one search lead to another on google, and here we are with some useful terminology and information.
Nuts & Bolts Pdf talks about how bolts work, forces, and specifications, as well as nuts and washers and locking compounds. Not geared towards theatre, or even construction, but towards racecar drivers, but still worth a read.
Glossary of Nut & Bolt Terms As titled - check here if you ever come across a fastener that you are unfamiliar with.
Nut & Bolt Identifier Tool is something I need for my shop at home (we have similar tools in my shop at work). I like how this encorporated both the bolt and nut identifiers.
Nuts & Bolts Pdf talks about how bolts work, forces, and specifications, as well as nuts and washers and locking compounds. Not geared towards theatre, or even construction, but towards racecar drivers, but still worth a read.
Glossary of Nut & Bolt Terms As titled - check here if you ever come across a fastener that you are unfamiliar with.
Nut & Bolt Identifier Tool is something I need for my shop at home (we have similar tools in my shop at work). I like how this encorporated both the bolt and nut identifiers.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Zen & the Art of Prop Making
Deco Works has a short list of entries that involve some prop "how-to's". It's sort of a wierd mix between easy or obvious and more difficult, but worth a look.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
PLC Online Training
In the fall 2010 Automation notebook from Automation Direct there was an article about online training courses for PLC programming offered through Interconnecting Automation. There are a few sample courses available, and the rest are available for $30 to $40 per month for unlimited access. I took a couple of the sample ones and they were a good introduction. The source is definately a good resource for starting or furthering your PLC programming knowledge.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tools
Every now and then a discussion is started regarding what the essential tools are for any shop... Popular Mechanics weighs in on this topic. I have to admit that I don't own a center punch (though it's on my list to buy), a sledge hammer or machinest vise. I suppose that access to those at work is part of the reason, though I haven't needed them at home though all of the renovations I have comepleted. But that is why the topic is interesting - each person has their own idea of what their own essential tools are.
So my list (at least at the moment & in no particular order):
personal Protective equipment
cresent wrench
pipe wrench
socket wrench & socket set
allen key set
jig saw or roto zip
hand saw
needle nose pliers
Drill
Bits for above drill
Circular Saw
measuring tape
Hammer
Phillips / Flat Head Screw Drivers
Clamps
Extension Cord
Level
Carpetners / framing square
Miter Saw
Staple Gun
end nips / side nips
mallet
Router & bits
hack saw
Gerber / Leatherman multi-tool
Set of open / box wrenches
So my list (at least at the moment & in no particular order):
personal Protective equipment
cresent wrench
pipe wrench
socket wrench & socket set
allen key set
jig saw or roto zip
hand saw
needle nose pliers
Drill
Bits for above drill
Circular Saw
measuring tape
Hammer
Phillips / Flat Head Screw Drivers
Clamps
Extension Cord
Level
Carpetners / framing square
Miter Saw
Staple Gun
end nips / side nips
mallet
Router & bits
hack saw
Gerber / Leatherman multi-tool
Set of open / box wrenches
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Extrusions & Stand-offs
I have recently found two additional companies that have been pretty useful.
For a desk I am building, I a mirror / glass trim has been specified as a trim made by Extrude-A-Trim. They have several unique shapes, and no minimum quantities. However they are located in Canada, so their shipping charges may be more expensive.
I also use a variety of stand-offs, which I usually purchase through Outwater. However, Metomic has a few cheaper alternatives. Of course if you need to go high end, Gyford is the way to go.
I think that one of the interesting things about these types of hardware is that I would have used them more in theatre if I had known they exsisted. Both in design and in technical direction, there is a pull between using "safe" hardware - its known, available, and economical & that "perfect" piece of hardware that may be commerically available, or may need to be custom built, or it may be available but expensive.
For a desk I am building, I a mirror / glass trim has been specified as a trim made by Extrude-A-Trim. They have several unique shapes, and no minimum quantities. However they are located in Canada, so their shipping charges may be more expensive.
I also use a variety of stand-offs, which I usually purchase through Outwater. However, Metomic has a few cheaper alternatives. Of course if you need to go high end, Gyford is the way to go.
I think that one of the interesting things about these types of hardware is that I would have used them more in theatre if I had known they exsisted. Both in design and in technical direction, there is a pull between using "safe" hardware - its known, available, and economical & that "perfect" piece of hardware that may be commerically available, or may need to be custom built, or it may be available but expensive.
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