Misuse of averages by barbajoe

posted on: Feb 20, 2024

TLDR: there is no "average" human, get creative

I'm attending axe-con for the fourth year in a row today. The keynote was excellent, as I've come to expect, but this story , in particular, was especially impactful to me.

The short version is that when the US military told its suppliers that they must supply them with seats that fit the vast majority of their pilots (instead of the existing single size for everyone), the suppliers came back with, "We can't, it's impossible" to which the US military said, "yes, you will" and now we have adjustable seats!

This reminds me of Toyota Kata 's "Target Condition” methodology. I don't recall the exact quote, but there is a story in the book where a team of engineers says, "This is impossible." To which their leader responds with, "This is no longer up for discussion; this is our Target Condition that we must hit, and I trust you all to help me figure out how to get us there."

The point of Dr. Rumman Chowdhury's story is to point out that AI is, by and large, producing the averages when asked questions, which frequently leads to the majority of people being left out as there is no "average" person; and that those with disabilities are often not even considered. This is an essential thing to remember, but the story she tells is even more broadly applicable. When teams get together and are given a directive, trust, and the flexibility to be creative, we can build amazing things. With a singular target condition set that is non-negotiable, but flexibility elsewhere is given, a guided creativity is created where teams can be truly innovative.

Use all the fancy AI tools, but be aware of their shortcomings. Also, have concrete goals and get innovative with your team!

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