Thinking Analytically

See the original post here. The post describes an interview with a birder and a doctor. They discuss similarities between pattern recognition in bird identification, medical diagnosis and business. Here’s an insightful quote:

HBR:  What’s the most common mistake a beginner makes in trying to identify a pattern – or, in this case, a bird?

Sibley:

Beginners usually latch on to common characteristics; they focus on similarities rather than differences…Once you’ve mastered common patterns, the real trick is to educate yourself about where discrepancies are most likely to appear — and to concentrate your attention on those areas.

ThinkingAnalytically discussion starters:

• What similarities can through you off-track when examining a pattern?
• How have you focused on areas that are most likely to show discrepancies?

Use the comments to contribute.

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See the original post here. The post describes an interview with a birder and a doctor. They discuss similarities between pattern recognition in bird identification, medical diagnosis and business. Here’s an insightful quote:

HBR: One of the goals of pattern recognition is to quickly narrow down your set of possibilities.  As birders, is there a particular thing you look for first?

Sibley (paraphrased):

[By answering the following,] you can narrow down the likely possibiliites to a handful of species.

1. Where am I and what time of year give a broad idea of which species may be present.
2. Type of habitat the bird is in and what it is doing.
3. The overall size of the bird.

ThinkingAnalytically discussion starters:

• What are the two or three things you look at first when examining a business pattern?
• How do you avoid wearing “blinders” that take you down the wrong path?

Use the comments to contribute.

Purchase full the HBR article here.

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See the original post here. The post describes an interview with a birder and a doctor. They discuss similarities between pattern recognition in bird identification, medical diagnosis and business. Here’s an insightful quote:

HBR: Can you describe how you begin to identify patterns? In business pattern recognition still seems to be more of an art than a science.

Yoshida:

Birders are also using new information from molecular biology and field ornithology.  This information expands the repertoire of possible patterns…As new ways to process data emerge, new patterns are discovered.

ThinkingAnalytically discussion starters:

• What new patterns have emerged in your business as a result of new ways of processing the data?
• What patterns are evident now but perhaps not visible ten or twenty years ago?

Use the comments to contribute.

Purchase full the HBR article here.

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See the original post here. The post describes an interview with a birder and a doctor. They discuss similarities between pattern recognition in bird identification, medical diagnosis and business. Here’s an insightful quote:

HBR: Can you describe how you begin to identify patterns? In business pattern recognition still seems to be more of an art than a science.

Sibley:

Pattern finding in birding is scientific in the sense that it is very deductive. I’m aware that there are patterns out there…and I try to fit my observations to patterns. It’s like making hypotheses and then testing them.

ThinkingAnalytically discussion starters:

• How is pattern finding in your business more like an art or more like a science?
• Do you tend to create a hypothesis then look for patterns to prove it…or…do you tend to gather patterns then develop a hypothesis that explains the patterns?

Use the comments to contribute.

Purchase full the HBR article here.

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