Formulators - Blog: d4mul8r... Dispatches from the Lab
Have the Data Generate Your Strategy
by Benny Dickens on 05/13/10
The foreknowledge required to be in complete control of events is gained from complete information. - Sun Tzu - 5th Century BC To effectively identify moisture emission we begin by collecting data. The data provides a glimpse as to the quantity of moisture and the dynamic processes acting within the slab that results in elevated MVER and insitu %RH. The more data collected, the more professional the collection, the more thorough the analysis; the better the recommendation for proper mitigation. Just like a doctor treating a patient during a physical. With each additional test result the prognosis or predicted condition evolves to a diagnosis. With a diagnosis the doctor prescribes a protocol to remedy the condition. Prognosis - prediction based on circumstantial evidence of a physical condition. The measurement of MVER and insitu %RH has some real science behind it. The estimated cost of a floor failure exceeds twice the installation. For a typical 50,000sf commercial/retail installation at $2.50/sf this means the potential loss could exceed $500,000. More than enough to put a small flooring contractor out of business. This begs the question as to who should be responsible for collecting the data, providing the analysis and determining the proper mitigation technique to be employed. Does the typical flooring contractor need this liability? If a third party, independent testing facility is used should they be the one to provide the recommended chemistry? Or does a coordinated effort on the part of contractor, testing service and manufacturer (flooring or adhesive) best serve the retailer/owners interest? Whatever the case the data collected must be interpreted correctly. Moisture mitigation is complex. An evolution toward reliance on field data prior to installation is necessary to avoid the inflating cost of liability and loss. Data must direct the solution.
Diagnosis - conclusive determination of a physical condition from testing and evaluation.
| Information is a source of learning. But unless it is organized, processed, and available to the right people in a format for decision making, it is a burden, not a benefit. - William Pollard | |
|
|
Lost a Battle... Still Fighting the War
by Benny Dickens on 05/10/10
|
When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we don't see the one which has opened . - Alexander Graham Bell Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It happens. Having a sports background, I accept a loss differently than most. Like everyone I have a period of pulling my hair out, then I start looking for what I can "pull" from the situation. Bell said it best above... time to look for the open door. The opportunity hard work creates. I create. This company is an experiment of sorts. An experiment in disciplined, self determination. Everything here I created. This website, the logos, every product and even some of the equipment to make the products. An expression of individual liberty and yet more like a justification for being. Looking for the purity in self reliance... I need to make a mark. It sounds crazy but I feel a kinship with those early Mountain Men. Jeremiah Johnson braving the West with total diregard to community. Unbound from the social network. Connected but disconnected. The path less traveled. It's Zen.. a project in art... to say, "I made that and it's cool". Now I just have to find someone who agrees. The harder the battle the sweet of jah victory. - Bob Marley |
|
Risk vs Uncertainty
by Benny Dickens on 04/28/10
If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room. - Jayne Howard
In comparing the philisophical diferences between risk and uncertainty a level of ambiguity develops. Traditionally, risk and uncetainty have been treated somewhat interchangeable. By definition uncertainty states that the true outcome of events are "unknown". Risk in contrast involves a measured degree of uncertainty mutiplied by the impact of the events occurance. The cool thing about the philosophy here is that we intuitively understand it yet it's so hard to express with words. We usually say things like, "it's my gut feeling" or "my ears are burning" that kind'a sound ridiculous but probably boil down to why the human species has been so successful. From early childhood our brain begins to develop techniques for risk assessment. If you've ever encountered the neighborhood bully along the path to school, a good bet (upside risk) is take a different path tomorrow. In this way even our worst experiences will benefit us in the future. Everything has its "upside". Now if we could just limit the emotional impact of the lesson.
There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction. - John F. Kennedy
First Post
by Benny Dickens on 04/26/10
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. - Andre Gide
I have been writting a newsletter related to the flooring industry and have now felt brave enough to write a blog that is more general in content. I have several "white papers" posted on the Resource page where I get specific and considerably technical. Here I just want to share some thoughts, maybe answer some questions or at least post some info that seems topical. The idea is to share opinions on what we've learned based upon the research of fact, tested by logic and not subject to the bias of our emotions. I love great quotes and the historical context they're often derived from. Philosophy is all around us. I'm anti-social by nature so writting this is also part therapy. Well we've paddled out and the set is rolling in... it's time to check the line up... I hope this is interesting.
Fascinating is a word I use for the unexpected. In this case, I should think "interesting" would suffice. - Spock
