Cedric Chin

All posts by

Cedric Chin

Word slinger, bug fixer, and operator.

The Disaffected PhD Skunkworks: A Story About Process Improvement

A concrete story of positive process improvement, deep from the trenches of early customer service at Amazon.

Process Improvement is Trickier Than You Think

Most companies skimp on process improvement. But the surprising thing is that they do so not because they're bad or lazy — but because there are system dynamics that prevent them from doing so. We take a look at what those are.

 Members only

You Aren't Learning If You Don't Close the Loops

Every experimentation and iteration loop looks the same, but the vast majority of folk in business don't seem to have the discipline to execute till the end. Why this is, and why it's hard.

Focus Doesn't Mean Doing One Thing at a Time

Focus may be about saying no to good ideas, but it certainly doesn't mean doing one thing at a time. This is what focus looks like at an organisational level, told through the story of a business turnaround and the Marine Corps approach to war.

 Members only

Focus Is Saying No To Good Ideas

Several stories about one of the hardest maxims to put to practice in business.

Focus on the Cases

Professor Rand Spiro on why (and how!) business cases are more important to learn from than synthesised business concepts.

Dancing Landscapes in Business

Cognitive Flexibility Theory creator Rand Spiro on what complexity theory has to say about the wickedness of business.

Cultural Advantage is Counter Positioning

Competitive advantages in business that come from cultural differences tend to be counter-positioning, not process power. Why this is surprising, and why it matters.

 Members only

Putting Amazon’s PR/FAQ to Practice

What it's like putting Amazon's famed Working Backwards process to practice in a small company context, and what was surprising and difficult about it.

Announcing the Commoncog Case Library Public Beta

We're testing a cognitive flexibility theory-driven learning library, designed to accelerate business expertise. Find out more.