[Ailist] Re: AI case studies in engineering companies

[Michael Holdstock]

Dear Richard, Marvin and others

I think the phrase "AI is a lousy way to fix your car engine, but a great 
way to get the best out of your car mechanic" is relevant.

Marvin and others have given you great material of high calibre. Here's my 
few öres worth:
I have done quite a lot of work with hi- and low tech engineers, and yes, 
they are left brain etc, by training.
But they also have a right brain, and given the opportunity to get the two 
together effectively will be something they will catch on to.

Parameters:
 - the culture of the organisation (threatening ---- open) how you handle
 - the culture of the learning/change space, and expectations, you create
    I have found some pre-course work - information about the content and 
structure,     ideally individual interviews, is important
    (left-brainers classically need lot of structure in order to be able to 
absorb new info
    and that includes knowing what they are supposed to do, what they are 
supposed     to learn as well as when the lunch break is).
 - You could give them the opportunity to supply examples (maybe even 
pre-Discovery interviews) of when the emotions (shared vision, positive 
focus, commitment/involvement etc) have in their experience been a component 
of a project that got better results than normal
- leave room in Discovery (and even supplying examples as above) for 
non-work experience of the soft stuff as leverage for positive development. 
I have numerous examples of engineers being "engineery" at work but great 
fathers, deacons, serving on voluntary boards, team sports - and achieving 
success in different ways than they do "at work".

AI isn't so different from PDCA - Plan-Do-Check-Act.

Drawing a parallel with an "approved by engineers" change process (e.g 
Scorecard, 5 Discipline/Learning organisation) can be useful.

Last but not least - don't have too many mental models about engineers. That 
way you allow them to be human beings too ;-)
Respect their preferred learning style and support their learning/change.

Mike