In looking over the patterns as related to my interests towards developing this system for pattern language design, I was drawn to "Wholesome Design for Wicked Problems" written by Rob Knapp at Evergreen State College, as a pattern that lies at the applied focus of what this system is meant to do. In many ways this pattern represents exactly what I hope this system will support and represents the central pattern from which all other patterns will connect to.
Also, beyond the system itself this pattern really represent what I'm emphasizing in my entire program how do we address design in a way that deals with "wicked problems?"
Anyway, when I get to a certain point I'm going to construct a pattern map that will show the various patterns I have focused on as holistic design for my overall research.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Django and Sqlite
Well, a few more minutes and I have everything synced with Django including my database using Sqlite.
Pesky Frameworks...
Well, after downloading Symfony and trying to get it working on my mac with MAMP I found much difficulty. I truly hate technologies that I have mess around with before I can even begin to work with them.
So on a whim and going against my original post on using Symfony over Django or Rails because of the centrality of PHP among those working with PSP, I decided to load Django. Seriously, it took 15 minutes or less to get everything working. This includes downloading Python2.5 for my mac, downloading the Django package, running the install command and running the command to create a Django project. I tested the Django dev server and it worked fine.
So far tonight I have spent several hours just getting orientated on Symfony, the server config, Pear with MAMP and so forth. Unfortunately, I could dump MAMP and just install the newest version of PHP and Apache for Mac, but getting those set up are not a fun adventure either.
So, I guess I'm going to go against the grain of my views and play with Django for a bit. After all, Python as a programming language is by far my first choice.
So on a whim and going against my original post on using Symfony over Django or Rails because of the centrality of PHP among those working with PSP, I decided to load Django. Seriously, it took 15 minutes or less to get everything working. This includes downloading Python2.5 for my mac, downloading the Django package, running the install command and running the command to create a Django project. I tested the Django dev server and it worked fine.
So far tonight I have spent several hours just getting orientated on Symfony, the server config, Pear with MAMP and so forth. Unfortunately, I could dump MAMP and just install the newest version of PHP and Apache for Mac, but getting those set up are not a fun adventure either.
So, I guess I'm going to go against the grain of my views and play with Django for a bit. After all, Python as a programming language is by far my first choice.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Another Journal Entry
As I may have said in the last journal entry I'm tending to fall behind in this writing. I guess it is because like so many of us these days I'm attempting to juggle many different hats all at once. Plus, I feel as if the journal entries take away a bit from my ability to keep up with my patterns.
Anyway, in considering what to write about for this journal entry I began to think about how the local emphasis in this class over the more global or international context of environmental conflict has been an interesting element. I have been so focused upon the international element of sustainable development that it can be easy to forget or ignore the richness of the actually place in which you live. In many ways, I think this whole shift from political science to environmental science has facilitated this more localized perception on my part.
In many ways I think this is related to the ability to walk out my door and see nature, the environment and the built structures of society co-mingling together and it gives me a concrete vision, something that I can comprehend in the here and now. Ultimately, I think there is something spiritually invigorating about that. The shift in focus is grounding me.
Plus, I have been asked to choose a topic of study for the Conflict class that addresses a specific environmental issue and it is my job to highlight the conflict and process of mitigating the conflict along with the environmental issue at the core of the conflict.
So the easiest thing and yet something very important to me is the need to address the process of conflict negotiation surrounding the Duwamish River clean up in the south Seattle area. In fact, one of the first classes that motivated me towards this environmental path was a course in Puget Sound Ecology and we even spent a lot of time focusing on the issue of the Duwamish. In fact, I think this was the same year it was designated as a Superfund site.
Anyway, most of the focus I took was on the science of course and address those scientific concerns, where as this class wants me to address the human dynamic surrounding the science, so it is presenting a differing perspective worth analysis.
Anyway, in considering what to write about for this journal entry I began to think about how the local emphasis in this class over the more global or international context of environmental conflict has been an interesting element. I have been so focused upon the international element of sustainable development that it can be easy to forget or ignore the richness of the actually place in which you live. In many ways, I think this whole shift from political science to environmental science has facilitated this more localized perception on my part.
In many ways I think this is related to the ability to walk out my door and see nature, the environment and the built structures of society co-mingling together and it gives me a concrete vision, something that I can comprehend in the here and now. Ultimately, I think there is something spiritually invigorating about that. The shift in focus is grounding me.
Plus, I have been asked to choose a topic of study for the Conflict class that addresses a specific environmental issue and it is my job to highlight the conflict and process of mitigating the conflict along with the environmental issue at the core of the conflict.
So the easiest thing and yet something very important to me is the need to address the process of conflict negotiation surrounding the Duwamish River clean up in the south Seattle area. In fact, one of the first classes that motivated me towards this environmental path was a course in Puget Sound Ecology and we even spent a lot of time focusing on the issue of the Duwamish. In fact, I think this was the same year it was designated as a Superfund site.
Anyway, most of the focus I took was on the science of course and address those scientific concerns, where as this class wants me to address the human dynamic surrounding the science, so it is presenting a differing perspective worth analysis.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
ESRP Journal Entry...
So I'm a little behind on my journal as I missed the first simulation and felt like I had little to go on in regards to formulating a worthwhile discussion on my experience in class.
However, yesterday I had the opportunity to actually show up for the conflict resolution simulation where are engaged in a process of addressing the issue regarding degraded clam beds in hypothetical county here in Washington state. Anyway, my position is to represent the Pacific Northwest Salmon Coalition in this mock-up negotiation process.
The experience was extremely interesting and brought home a lot of the readings we have been doing up to this point in a way I did not expect. I got a sense that despite the focus upon human resources based framing that Emmett takes, I find myself possessing a very politically oriented frame where I was constantly trying to identify ways to gain leverage through the initial phases of the negotiation process. The strange thing is we are only in the phase of formulating ground rules. We haven't even begun to address the issues on the table.
I guess through the process I became very aware how critical the ground-rules are in any negation procedure and especially the ground-rules that dictate decision-making among the group. Now, I have been doing a lot of reading regarding the processes associated with conflict negotiation or engagement if that is the preferred lexicon, but until you actually engage in it many of these concepts are just that, concepts. It seems that with out rising out of the book in some concrete way they would ultimately remain some abstract thing.
So overall I would say that the simulation process is an extremely useful mechanism for driving many of these central concepts home, even if it appears hokey at first. For instance, I could recognize the frames I was working out of; I recognized the value of clarity in all aspects that govern procedures and rules. As an example referring back to frames, I notices that at first my basic inclination was to work from a human resources frame as it seems that is the frame most commonly spoken about. However, despite my initial leaning towards that approach I found a political frame coming in when my initial conception or frame was not being accepted by others within the simulation, so I began conceiving of ways through political means to achieve a more human resources based set of ground-rules. Ha!
I’m a schemer….
However, yesterday I had the opportunity to actually show up for the conflict resolution simulation where are engaged in a process of addressing the issue regarding degraded clam beds in hypothetical county here in Washington state. Anyway, my position is to represent the Pacific Northwest Salmon Coalition in this mock-up negotiation process.
The experience was extremely interesting and brought home a lot of the readings we have been doing up to this point in a way I did not expect. I got a sense that despite the focus upon human resources based framing that Emmett takes, I find myself possessing a very politically oriented frame where I was constantly trying to identify ways to gain leverage through the initial phases of the negotiation process. The strange thing is we are only in the phase of formulating ground rules. We haven't even begun to address the issues on the table.
I guess through the process I became very aware how critical the ground-rules are in any negation procedure and especially the ground-rules that dictate decision-making among the group. Now, I have been doing a lot of reading regarding the processes associated with conflict negotiation or engagement if that is the preferred lexicon, but until you actually engage in it many of these concepts are just that, concepts. It seems that with out rising out of the book in some concrete way they would ultimately remain some abstract thing.
So overall I would say that the simulation process is an extremely useful mechanism for driving many of these central concepts home, even if it appears hokey at first. For instance, I could recognize the frames I was working out of; I recognized the value of clarity in all aspects that govern procedures and rules. As an example referring back to frames, I notices that at first my basic inclination was to work from a human resources frame as it seems that is the frame most commonly spoken about. However, despite my initial leaning towards that approach I found a political frame coming in when my initial conception or frame was not being accepted by others within the simulation, so I began conceiving of ways through political means to achieve a more human resources based set of ground-rules. Ha!
I’m a schemer….
Monday, September 3, 2007
Today's Pattern...
Today's, pattern is an extension of what I have been thinking about quite extensively over the past few days. In fact, it represents the crux of what I'm envisioning with regards to this web-based pattern language design framework. It really comes down to the facilitation of this "Collective Decision Making: Harmony of Five Voices" pattern written by Valerie Brown. Based upon the varying locations of potential participants particularly among groups working to address regional, national or international issues the usage of a system that represents one more way to facilitate this process is a potential step in a direction towards fully allowing for this pattern and other patterns to be fully realized and applied within the real world.
In the sense of aiding in this collaborative process of sustainable design that includes many voices and opens up space for reflection, assessment and adaptation (as feedback emerges from the decisions we as communities and societies as a whole make), I see this pattern as being a fundamental component and driving aim of this project
So in thinking up requirements for this pattern mapping application and knowledge system I recognize not only the need to be able to visually map these patterns in ways that form coherent wholes as related to the identified design problems (at hand and that interface with the larger process of sustainable transformation taking place at larger and smaller scales), but there is a greater need to enable people to use this system as a way to track decisions. With this in mind this system will need to be able to document and retain the information used in defining the design problem, but also the maps that are generated from these mapping exercises.
Also in considering the number of voices involved in design and all the interests involved it is obvious to me that there must be a mechanism for asynchronous activity to take place that will allow multiple users to aide in the design process, rather than be dependent upon the expertise or dominant voice of one person. This is often the case in GIS based applications.
The use of multiple voices also means that the system will need to have a UI simple enough for people with varying degrees of technical knowledge to be able to effectively use the system.
Perhaps, this means heavy documentation and strict adherence to clarity in the preparation of materials relevant to the use of the system. Trainings, workshops and so forth may also be principle parts of the design and implementation of the system.
The other idea is the ability of this application to be standalone in the sense that communities and organizations should be able to easily download and install on their servers, or of course they can use the community space application that PSP would in theory provide to the public.
This brings up the idea of using the xml dump that Doug has been talking about. This way an application downloaded and served off of a PSP server could in theory query the pattern repository and hopefully generate a list of patterns relevant to the requirements defined by the design participants.
Extending these ideas further there is the perceived need of maintaining community memory among system users. It is potentially relevant that everyone have a chance to learn from mistakes and successes of those using the patterns. This means being able to see the various approaches communities have taken to contextualize individual patterns, what if any changes were made as well as suggestions these communities might make for revision based upon their experience.
With this capability in mind, it is my hope to enable an adaptive and organic system cognizant of the changing nature of community experience and needs and reflects the adaptation of the social, economic and environmental systems that groups are working in.
However, with all these ideas towards adaptive capacity and community memory the fundamental drive of this system is for people to effectively engage in a collaborative and collective process for good decision-making.
In the sense of aiding in this collaborative process of sustainable design that includes many voices and opens up space for reflection, assessment and adaptation (as feedback emerges from the decisions we as communities and societies as a whole make), I see this pattern as being a fundamental component and driving aim of this project
So in thinking up requirements for this pattern mapping application and knowledge system I recognize not only the need to be able to visually map these patterns in ways that form coherent wholes as related to the identified design problems (at hand and that interface with the larger process of sustainable transformation taking place at larger and smaller scales), but there is a greater need to enable people to use this system as a way to track decisions. With this in mind this system will need to be able to document and retain the information used in defining the design problem, but also the maps that are generated from these mapping exercises.
Also in considering the number of voices involved in design and all the interests involved it is obvious to me that there must be a mechanism for asynchronous activity to take place that will allow multiple users to aide in the design process, rather than be dependent upon the expertise or dominant voice of one person. This is often the case in GIS based applications.
The use of multiple voices also means that the system will need to have a UI simple enough for people with varying degrees of technical knowledge to be able to effectively use the system.
Perhaps, this means heavy documentation and strict adherence to clarity in the preparation of materials relevant to the use of the system. Trainings, workshops and so forth may also be principle parts of the design and implementation of the system.
The other idea is the ability of this application to be standalone in the sense that communities and organizations should be able to easily download and install on their servers, or of course they can use the community space application that PSP would in theory provide to the public.
This brings up the idea of using the xml dump that Doug has been talking about. This way an application downloaded and served off of a PSP server could in theory query the pattern repository and hopefully generate a list of patterns relevant to the requirements defined by the design participants.
Extending these ideas further there is the perceived need of maintaining community memory among system users. It is potentially relevant that everyone have a chance to learn from mistakes and successes of those using the patterns. This means being able to see the various approaches communities have taken to contextualize individual patterns, what if any changes were made as well as suggestions these communities might make for revision based upon their experience.
With this capability in mind, it is my hope to enable an adaptive and organic system cognizant of the changing nature of community experience and needs and reflects the adaptation of the social, economic and environmental systems that groups are working in.
However, with all these ideas towards adaptive capacity and community memory the fundamental drive of this system is for people to effectively engage in a collaborative and collective process for good decision-making.
Introductory thoughts on the "Nature of Order"
Ooops, well I missed the daily pattern as I was out of town till just a little while ago. However, during this little Internet break I had a chance to start reading Christopher Alexander’s book the "Nature of Order" in which he lays out his theory of order. Only a few pages into it and I have already been moved several times to reflect on the words. But this reflection is not so much in that he is asserting something new, but rather it is something I have seen or felt for a long time. It is also something that I have seen in a number of texts discussing Eastern philosophy such as the teachings of Vedanta; just read Sri Nisargadatta or Ramana Maharishi and you will get the sense that Alexander is not asserting something new. However, it is unique in a number of ways, primarily his discussion that is directed towards a Western audience.
The other important element that is unique to Alexander’s work is his attempt to apply this vision into all things we do in order to bring out these varying degrees of life and harmony. This conceptualization of wholeness and harmony is meant to represent a coherent picture relevant to those of us trying to make sense out of the 21st century predicament.
Though Eastern thought has made its way into Western culture not many of us know enough to recognize the obvious parallels, and it remains something more faddish than assumed relevant. Likewise the ideas of wholeness, cosmic harmony, emergence and so forth are still so foreign to Western thought it seems almost necessary for us to approach these ideas from within our current mechanistic construct along with all the legacy and history that this view brings with it before we can actually begin to understand or contemplate notions that have been present for centuries. This is not say that similar ideas haven’t been considered in Western context, but they don’t venture as far as Alexander seems to.
So, it appears that Alexander attempts to bridge this chasm by framing his argument in a language, and against a world-view that we Westerns’ are all too familiar with. Beyond this parallel something else struck me. I was contemplating Alexander's words and began to think of his conception of life and his assertion that there is a certain degree of life that can be measured within both the things we traditionally consider to be living and those that we consider non-living or inanimate. So I began to consider the scientific definition of life, which I remember from my high-school biology class. The definition given ascribes life to growth, reproduction, and adaptation to environment. However, when looking the word up in a dictionary the ambiguity of the word emerges with nearly 25 definitions representing differing meanings of the word life.
The other 24 definitions reveal a list of possibilities that extend beyond the "mechanistic" biological one from my high school class. Considering these options, I was undoubtedly led to the question what is it that represents life within a system or object? While organisms may grow and adapt so to do the living structures that society and individual humans create. While the processes may be different, there is nonetheless a growing, emergent and adaptive outcome from the dynamic relationships between both living and non-living systems. So what is this specific life that Alexander is talking about? Now, I haven't read the whole book yet, but I began to think about the spark or intuitive connection that is present when two systems come into contact in recognition of their innate aliveness.
This reminded me of this book I once read, titled the "Spell of the Sensuous" where Dave Abrams describes the fundamental awe and beauty that can be experienced in all things and he too spoke of this aliveness, but in terms of a dynamic relationship between the experiencer and the experienced. He also referred to the ideas of cosmic-dance.
All of this began to coagulate in my mind to conjure a vision of the aliveness in all things as a grand dance that is talked about in the Upanishads, it reminded me of the wholes that includes ALL things as being parts of this cosmic reality.
In getting to this point I began to wonder about how this translates into the world we create, how we interact and care for the environment, how our social systems play a part of this wholeness and aliveness. Perhaps Alexander will make all this clear later on, but I have some of my own ideas and thinking in relation to the use of patterns in the creation of these wholes that engender greater degrees of harmony and life.
This of course brings me to the Liberating Voices! pattern language and how these elements could be used in conjunction with these deeper conceptualizations. In a sense, these ideas of life and harmony are important for gauging the usefulness of the patterns that have been currently defined. These ideas are also potentially relevant to the work of building systems that could aide in the process of sustainable design. In a sense, with this work it is possible that we are moving closer to a level of understanding necessary for operationalizing pattern usage from a vantage point that prioritizes the notion of wholeness and harmony.
Now, I know this has mostly been a rant with little substance for many to grab onto, but as I move along I hope to conceive of ways that will promote a process whereby we can develop communications and knowledge systems capable of assisting this grand and complex ideal of harmony. A system that supports the living/non-living process of reproduction, growth, and adaptation and yet contains the elements that produces harmony in the way we design, live and work within this dynamic environment. A system that draws upon the collaborative efforts and collective wisdom of those who are doing this work already in their daily lives.
The other important element that is unique to Alexander’s work is his attempt to apply this vision into all things we do in order to bring out these varying degrees of life and harmony. This conceptualization of wholeness and harmony is meant to represent a coherent picture relevant to those of us trying to make sense out of the 21st century predicament.
Though Eastern thought has made its way into Western culture not many of us know enough to recognize the obvious parallels, and it remains something more faddish than assumed relevant. Likewise the ideas of wholeness, cosmic harmony, emergence and so forth are still so foreign to Western thought it seems almost necessary for us to approach these ideas from within our current mechanistic construct along with all the legacy and history that this view brings with it before we can actually begin to understand or contemplate notions that have been present for centuries. This is not say that similar ideas haven’t been considered in Western context, but they don’t venture as far as Alexander seems to.
So, it appears that Alexander attempts to bridge this chasm by framing his argument in a language, and against a world-view that we Westerns’ are all too familiar with. Beyond this parallel something else struck me. I was contemplating Alexander's words and began to think of his conception of life and his assertion that there is a certain degree of life that can be measured within both the things we traditionally consider to be living and those that we consider non-living or inanimate. So I began to consider the scientific definition of life, which I remember from my high-school biology class. The definition given ascribes life to growth, reproduction, and adaptation to environment. However, when looking the word up in a dictionary the ambiguity of the word emerges with nearly 25 definitions representing differing meanings of the word life.
The other 24 definitions reveal a list of possibilities that extend beyond the "mechanistic" biological one from my high school class. Considering these options, I was undoubtedly led to the question what is it that represents life within a system or object? While organisms may grow and adapt so to do the living structures that society and individual humans create. While the processes may be different, there is nonetheless a growing, emergent and adaptive outcome from the dynamic relationships between both living and non-living systems. So what is this specific life that Alexander is talking about? Now, I haven't read the whole book yet, but I began to think about the spark or intuitive connection that is present when two systems come into contact in recognition of their innate aliveness.
This reminded me of this book I once read, titled the "Spell of the Sensuous" where Dave Abrams describes the fundamental awe and beauty that can be experienced in all things and he too spoke of this aliveness, but in terms of a dynamic relationship between the experiencer and the experienced. He also referred to the ideas of cosmic-dance.
All of this began to coagulate in my mind to conjure a vision of the aliveness in all things as a grand dance that is talked about in the Upanishads, it reminded me of the wholes that includes ALL things as being parts of this cosmic reality.
In getting to this point I began to wonder about how this translates into the world we create, how we interact and care for the environment, how our social systems play a part of this wholeness and aliveness. Perhaps Alexander will make all this clear later on, but I have some of my own ideas and thinking in relation to the use of patterns in the creation of these wholes that engender greater degrees of harmony and life.
This of course brings me to the Liberating Voices! pattern language and how these elements could be used in conjunction with these deeper conceptualizations. In a sense, these ideas of life and harmony are important for gauging the usefulness of the patterns that have been currently defined. These ideas are also potentially relevant to the work of building systems that could aide in the process of sustainable design. In a sense, with this work it is possible that we are moving closer to a level of understanding necessary for operationalizing pattern usage from a vantage point that prioritizes the notion of wholeness and harmony.
Now, I know this has mostly been a rant with little substance for many to grab onto, but as I move along I hope to conceive of ways that will promote a process whereby we can develop communications and knowledge systems capable of assisting this grand and complex ideal of harmony. A system that supports the living/non-living process of reproduction, growth, and adaptation and yet contains the elements that produces harmony in the way we design, live and work within this dynamic environment. A system that draws upon the collaborative efforts and collective wisdom of those who are doing this work already in their daily lives.
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