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This is a Hypertext version of the Patent Pending
by iterations of the Taylor System and Method

 

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUGMENTING KNOWLEDGE COMMERCE

Subsystem 1 Summary
System and Method for Facilitating Interaction among Agents
Promoting Feedback, Learning and Emergent Group Genius
in a Radically Compressed Time Period

Overview of the Patent Application

Details and Diagrams of this Subsystem

 

The system and method for facilitating communication and other interaction among Agents (humans, machines, groups, organizations and combinations thereof) provides feedback, learning and self-adjustment among the individual agents thereby creating an environment for interaction (consisting of environment, tools and processes) that facilitates emergent group genius in a radically compressed time period.

The experiments and demonstrations that the present inventors have undertaken have demonstrated that the interrelationship between environment, process and tools is, as suspected, nonlinear and that it is possible to obtain synergistic effects by simultaneously addressing these elements to create an environment 4 that fosters group genius (i.e., a synergistic outcome that is not predictable by the behavior of the parts).

In particular, the inventors past experience has confirmed the usefulness and demonstrated the possibility of the system and process for facilitating communication and other interaction among Agents (humans, machines, groups, organizations and combinations thereof, documents, software, hardware, and computers) so as to provide feedback, learning and self-adjustment among the individual agents thereby creating an environment for interaction (consisting of environment, tools and processes) that facilitates emergent group genius in a radically compressed time period.

Thus, where the experiments and demonstrations conducted to date (which are also described in the Appendix hereto, which is incorporated herein by reference) have empirically shown that certain elements of the invention can be applied by highly trained individuals to discrete environments, there remains a need for an automated, widely applicable and easily scaleable system and method for applying the inventors insights.

The present invention has been developed through the process, demonstrations and refinement described previously. Specifically, the present inventors have developed an integrated process that is self-adjusting, provides feedback, and is emergent. Moreover, by demonstrating the scalability and applicability of this process in a variety of situations, the inventors have demonstrated that this process can be applied to a wide variety of applications involving the interaction of Agents (e.g., people, computers, groups, organizations).

It is an objective of the present invention to use the inventors insights and the empirical evidence and experience gained through the experiments and demonstrations described above to develop a system and method which, among other things, facilitates and automates application of the invention to specific environments and widely applicable embodiments.

In general, the system and process of the present invention address environments 4, processes 2 and tools 5 in a way that creates an improved environment for group interaction. At the highest level, these areas are each addressed through description, explanation and specific physical examples. At a deeper level, the elements are addressed through high-level manuals written in a language that can be understood by the Agents. At a still deeper level, the essential concepts involved can be described in models and/or glyphs. The glyphs are original artistic expressions of concepts relating to group dynamics, learning, feedback and control in complex systems. Collectively, the glyphs, when used in connection with a grammar system, constitute a separate language somewhat analogous to a fourth-generation language. At a still deeper level, the present invention makes use of a series of rules or algorithms that effect an environment, process and tools.

As mentioned, the inventors have developed a language and grammar system to describe some of the concepts underlying the System and Method of the present Invention. This language and grammar are reflective of elements of tools and other aspects of the invention and are thus critical to a full understanding of the System and Method. To this end, the following brief definitions are set forth (further elaboration and explanation can be found in the detailed description)

Ten Step Knowledge Management: The engine for processing information from events ToA through a knowledge base ToA, into distribution, into design ToA, and on to subsequent events.

Scan-Focus-Act: A basic representation of the creative process in three stages (plus a feedback element). Each of these stages are not “steps” In the linear and sequential sense, but are “modes of operation” from which Agents (of all kinds) are viewed and acted upon.

Business of Enterprise: The network-based architecture for linking the functions of production, investment, consumption and management in the Knowledge-based enterprise. This is referred to as a ValueWeb ToA.

Stages of an Enterprise: The Lifecycle of any enterprise including special situations such as overshoot and collapse, turn-around, the entrepreneurial button. An “enterprise” can be an idea, an Agent of any kind, a nation, a meme, an economy, and so on.

5 Es of Education: The necessary and sufficient components of a integrated educational experience. These components have to exist in real-time s and at appropriate scale and mass.

Vantage Points: Seven shells of context from philosophy to task that must be in place for enterprises to maintain homeostasis.

Seven Domains: The seven areas that are managed in every enterprise and every activity of the enterprise. When managed properly they ensure corporate health and allow Knowledge-based organizations to grow and profit.

Seven Stages of the Creative Process: The most complex of the creativity models developed by the present inventors, this model explains how problems are created and then solved in a process that is recursive, fractal, cyclic and nonlinear in character.

Spoze: The Spoze model holds the secret for allowing systems to evolve in rapidly changing environments and yet maintain their own homeostasis and identity. Enterprises use Spoze to innovate without having to grab on to every new idea that passes by.

Appropriate Response: Every stage of the Creative Process involves producing a result. Superior results can be obtained by filtering or testing competing designs through the six elements of this model.

Three Cat: We all build mental concepts of how things work by observing reality. But to cement the learning, we must build models that exemplify our concept and test these models against what we observe to confirm our understanding.

Design Build Use: The unfolding of a project or creation over time is an interactive, iterative game between the designer, builder and user. However, when we make the process linear, discrete and focused on being "finished", the outcome is a nonliving one.

Creating the Problem: This model explores the relationship between vision and condition that creates the “problem.” It continues with a description of the tug and pull of creative tension that brings the vision and conditions together to create a new condition.

The Learning Path: Five Points of Mastery: Instead of the three traditional roles of education (student, teacher, administrator), we present five: the learner, the sponsor, the expert, the facilitator, and the steward. In high performance environments each individual moves from role to role sometimes in rapid succession and sometimes in cycles that span years.

The Four Step Recreative Process: The creative process has many facets and can be understood and practiced from many different vantage points. The Four Step model emphasizes the activity of recreation : between each stage of the creative process and shows this recreation as a wave and a particle phenomenonlinear and non-linear approaches.

Each of these essential concepts can be described in models and/or glyphs. The glyphs are original artistic expressions of concepts relating to group dynamics and the behaviors of complex systems. Collectively, the glyphs, when used in connection with a grammar system, constitute a separate language somewhat analogous to a fourth-generation language. The use of glyphs in the modeling language has the intent y to convey some additional, deeper, more connected in memory sense of each component of a model and its application to a broad number of situations. This is done by researching the etymology of the word and searching for symbols that support certain meanings that we wish to emphasize (Yung and Campbell).

For example, the 5th E of Education is EXPLORE. The root of the word means “to search out; cry out aloud.” The symbol chosen to represent EXPLORE is an open fan. The fan represents imagination, air and wind. You can envision the fan as a sail of the mind with the human spirit filling it with wind, and the imagination crying aloud for new vistas.

These aspects add a measure of play, fun and interest to the modeling language, therefore adding to its utility. In sum, the present invention provides a system and method that is self-addressing and self-correcting and results in an emergent system, that can be applied to a large variety of situations involving interaction between Agents.

Further details of the Modeling langage

In this way, the present invention facilitates interaction between Agents to promote feedback and self-adjustment to obtain synergy. The individual experiments and simulations that applicants have conducted over the past two decades have demonstrated that the concept works in a wide variety of contexts and is not restricted or limited to only a single environment. Based on these experiments, therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of enterprises to promote group genius and synergy.

To achieve the stated and other objects of the present invention, as embodied and described below, the invention includes a method for fostering creativity comprising the steps of identifying a number of Agents and selecting a subset of these agents based on certain determined criteria and other methods. An environment for creative interaction is prepared, and the Agents selected are placed within this environment. Work is then performed on these agents in order to develop a result. The result is then evaluated, which produces a first new Agent. This first new Agent produced is then tested. Further, the first new Agent may be added as an Agent to the existing environment, added as an element of the environment, or added as additional work to be performed in the environment by the Agents, and the process of the present invention is then repeated with this new element to produce a second new agent. In addition, the first new Agent may be added to an external environment, wherein the first new Agent is altered and may return or produce a third new Agent for return, in which case, the altered first new Agent or the third new Agent is added as an Agent to the existing environment, added as an element of the environment, or added as additional work to be performed in the environment by the Agents, and the process of the present invention is then repeated with this new element to produce another new Agent. The method is consistently repeated until a pattern appears. This pattern can be readily identified and discussed using the specific language developed by the present inventors.

The System, Method and process of the present Invention will now be described in connection with the attached diagrams. Again, further information regarding the present invention can be found in the Appendices hereto, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Subsystem 1 Detail and Diagrams
System and Method for Facilitating Interaction among Agents
Promoting Feedback, Learning and Emergent Group Genius
in a Radically Compressed Time Period

 

Figures 1-7:

Figure SS1-1

Figure SS1-1 provides a block diagram overviewing a single iteration of the method of the present Invention. The steps of the present invention are not intended to occur in a particular order; they may occur simultaneously or in an orderly fashion, but not necessarily in the order illustrated in Figure SS1-1.

 

Figure SS1-1

 

Moreover, the specific steps shown are illustrative, not exhaustive. The process and system can include other steps. The method shown in Figure SS1-1 illustrates only a single iteration of an embodiment of the present Invention. An important aspect of the present Invention is that the process occurs on multiple levels of recursion ToA. Thus, it is contemplated that other iterations can, and preferably do, occur consecutively or in a chain-like manner, such as feeding the resultant agent or product of an iteration into a subsequent iteration; in addition, simultaneous multiple iterations can occur at different levels of interaction.

For example, some Agents within a particular iteration, such as a facilitator, may also conduct additional iterations relating to any particular step in the process or mirroring part or all of the iteration. The system and process of the present invention are most productive when there are multiple levels of recursion and feedback occurring simultaneously. The use of an interactive process that includes multiple levels of recursion, feedback and self-adjustment yields a system and process that can be used to facilitate the interaction among agents such that synergistic results occur. In solving complex problems, for example, the system and process need not address the entire problem at once, but instead evolves toward a solution. In short, problems are dissolved, not solved.

S1

In the single iteration shown in Figure SS1-1, in step S1, a group or pool of agents for potential use with the system are identified. This identification step can be performed by a user of the system or by persons or systems outside the system of the present Invention. These agents can include, for example, intelligent agents, persons, documents, computer software, firmware, living things, computers, and other objects. Collection by a system or person outside the system of the present Invention could include, for example, a company selecting particular intelligent agents, documents, programs, and people as potential agents to be included for a particular iteration.

S2

In step S2, an operation is conducted upon these Agents. In an embodiment of the present invention, this operation includes selecting particular Agents fitting a predetermined cross-section of skills or other creativity elements designed to foster operation of the present invention. The predetermined cross-section is dependent on the scope of the iteration; for example, if a particular problem is attempting to be solved for a particular group of agents, the nature of the problem and group suggests an appropriate cross-section. In addition, an embodiment of the present invention contains factors that support develop of a generic cross-section, which is alterable using iteration-specific information. The selection process of step S2 can include, for example, querying the pool of agents for responses used in determining their amenability for the particular iteration. The querying can be intended to illicit characteristics about the agent that correspond or mesh with those characteristics identified for the predetermined cross-section. In addition, the substance of the responses themselves are useful in developing the cross-section.

S3

In step S3, the agents selected as a result of the process of step S2 are added to an environment that has been created in step S4. Adding the Agents can include connecting computers or Agents via a network or other electronic or other coupling. It can also include collecting persons or groups of persons in a particular place.

S4

Creating the environment of step S4 also includes such things as creating a particular network, designing a particular workspace, programming a computer, or other methods of collecting agents. In addition, other elements of the environment may be created. In particular, if the environment includes persons, the environment can include particular amenities designed to foster effective operation of the present invention. For example, the environment may include sectioned areas for collecting groups, wall surface writing and drawing capabilities to allow the agents to continuously maintain information in an easily viewable area, computers for use of agents, television or other video capabilities, and toys, games, books, and other tools designed to assist agents in communicating ideas and performing other functions that comprise the function of the present invention.

S5

In step S5, the user or Agents within the system perform work. The type of work performed by the agents can include a variety of tasks or exercises designed to encourage identification and detailed definition of problems or issues specific to the iteration using methods of approaching the problems or issues that are outside the agents usual scope of problem solving patterns. The exercises and tasks can include collecting information, role playing, game playing, research, analysis, and reporting, model building, illustration of issues using three dimensional objects and tools, and other problem-solving activities. The results of the processes of steps S3, S4, and S5 are production of new agents, such as documents, computer programs, suggested problem approaches analogous to issues at hand, and proposed solutions.

S6

In step S6, a sophisticated decision process occurs, which is further detailed in Figure SS1-2, described below. The outcome of the decision process produces one of two outputs to other steps. In the first output branch, the resultant new agent is fed back to the current iteration.

S7

The first step of the feedback process is to test the new agent in step S7.

S8

In step S8, a decision is made as to whether to input the new agent as a perform work function for step S5.

S9

Alternatively, the system proceeds to step S9, in which a decision is made whether to input the new agent to the environment, step S4, thereby effectively creating a new environment, or to input the new agent as another agent in the system, step S3.

S10

In the second output branch, the output of step S6 serves as input, step S10, to a new environment.

S11

In step S11, the agent is then altered as a result of its incorporation into the new environment.

S12

In step S12, the altered agent is evaluated in a sophisticated decision process similar to step S6, as described in more detail in relation to Figure SS1-2 below. The results of this decision process are either to feed the resultant newly altered agent back to the current iteration, via step S7, or to exit the agent from the iteration. The exit of the agent from the current iteration can serve a variety of functions. For example, the exiting agent can provide input to another iterative process using the present invention. The exiting agent can also simply exit the process.

Example 1

Two examples of the operation of an iteration of the present invention as described in Figure SS1-1 follow. These examples are intended to be illustrative only. The examples are not intended to limit the application of the system to a particular set of Agents, a particular iteration, or a particular environment. The examples are also not intended to imply that a single iteration or a particular order of steps are necessary.

The first example illustrates a facilitated creativity workshop process. In a workshop using the present invention, some number of steps of the workshop are automated, such as computerized, using the method and system of the present invention.

In this example, referring to Figure SS1-1, in step S1 a group of persons are identified as a pool of potential agents to assist in solving a particular problem; in this example, both the pool of people and the particular problem are identified by a company.

In step S2, persons in the pool are provided with information and queried by a user, such as a facilitator, who also serves as an agent, in a targeted manner designed to illicit information about their potential amenability to the problem identified and the set of skills selected by the user. A computerized matrix of skill needs matched to the problem at hand is used to select from the pool; the matrix is partially fulfilled using a selection process. In this example, this process of matching skill results, problem-specific issues, and a matrix are automated. In addition, other agents are identified, such as intelligent agents designed to obtain particular information from the Internet. These intelligent agents can be either commercially available or specifically designed and tailored to the particular problem at hand. Also as a part of step S2, either separately or as an element of the pool selection process, a set of documents and other informational items are provided to the agents.

In step S3, the persons and intelligent agents selected are collected in a common environment, which is created in step S4. The environment can include furniture conducive to creativity, moveable walls that participants can write on, toys, games, video displays, computers, and other tools for creatively producing examples and illustrating points.

Contemporaneously with steps S3 and S4, exercises or other tasks are selected for performance by the agents as step S5. These exercises can include collecting information, such as automatically searching the Internet, role playing, game playing, analysis, reporting, or other problem-solving activities. These exercises are designed to encourage the agents to function or think about problems in a way that facilitates identification and detailed definition of the problem at hand using methods outside the scope of the usual problem solving of the agents. For example, a subgroup agents may be assigned to study and system in nature that may be suggestive of the problem at hand. The subgroup then provides their analysis and results to the selected group as a whole, which is then used for additional analysis and problem clarification. An intelligent agent may be assigned to obtain information about elements of nature when the problem is focused on a business issue.

In step S6, a decision is made as to whether the results are fed back, step S7, to the current iteration, as additional work performance, step S8, or into the environment or as additional agents, step S9. Alternatively, the results may be passed to an outside environment, step S10.

In this example, the decision process is facilitated via input and evaluation using a computer program. Following step S10, the agent is altered by the outside environment in step S11. The altered agent is then tested in step S12, in a manner similar to that of step S6, and a decision is made as to whether to exit the agent from this iteration, or to return the agent or additional information obtained as part of the altered output agent process to the current iteration through step S7. As an example feed to an outside environment in steps S10 and S11, an initial proposal regarding the problem at hand could be sent via an agent to the management of the company. The management of the company could then provide feedback to the agent, who then returns to the environment of the current iteration to continue the iterative process.

Example 2

In the second example, much more of the process is automated, such as by computer program and computerized intelligent agents. In this example, in step S1, a group of intelligent agents, each having specific functions and missions, are developed, step S2, by a user at a terminal to solve a particular problem.

The functions and missions of these intelligent agents are identified or developed based on cross-indexing of preselected creativity traits and the scope of the problem at hand. In this example, an automated process assists the user with developing this cross-index. The agents are then connected and communicate with the user via computer connection, which serves as the environment, step S4. As the user performs work, step S5, the agents provide a variety of inputs based on their assigned functions.

For example, an agent could be assigned to search the Internet for associative ideas based on use of particular keywords by the user. Thus, as the user word processes and creates keywords some agents would continuously search and display results associated with keywords or combinations of keywords. As the user works on the problem, the results of the keyword combinations are fed back in steps S7, S8, and S9, as additional work and to other intelligent agents performing other functions; the results of these functions are also continuously provided to the user as part of the environment.

In this way, a continuous feedback loop of information from the various agents, including the user, would serve as a growing set of information that is simultaneously displayed in the users environment. At some point the user outputs the results, step S10, alters the results outside the process, step S11, and then makes a decision, step S12, as to whether the outputted result is sufficient to solve the problem for the users needs or whether the result should return to the process, step S7, for further iteration. The decision step S6 is a complex process that may in itself incorporate an entire iteration of the process shown in Figure SS1-1.

As shown in Figure SS1-2, this process includes the following steps. In step S20, the original state model applicable to the iteration at hand is inputted, and in step S21 a current state model is inputted. In step S22, these two models are compared to develop a differential or delta between them. In step S23, a matrix and set of rules applicable to the issue of the iteration are developed. In step S24, the matrix and set of rules are inputted with the delta. In step S25, a first combination of the matrix and rules are applied to the delta. In step S26, subsequent combinations of the matrix and rules are iteratively applied to the delta until a provisional dissolve of the delta is reached. This process can include agents, an environment, and performance of work, as described in relation to Figure SS1-1. In step S27, the agent produced by the combination of matrix and rules is applied to the delta to produce a provisional dissolve. In step S27, this agent is shipped either back into the current iteration, or out to a new environment, or both. A similar process occurs with regard to step S12 of Figure SS1-1, and can occur with regard to steps S8 and S9.

SS1-SS1-3 through 7

Figures SS1-SS1-3 through 7 comprise block diagrams illustrating elements supporting the various steps shown in Figure SS1-1.

Figure SS1-3

In Figure SS1-3, the plurality of agents and their functions 1 include people 2, machines 3, computers 4, software 5, firmware 6, living things 7, objects 8, input and output both among agents and external to agents 9, and an operating system 10.

Figure SS1-4

In Figure SS1-4, elements of the environment 20 include one or more agents 21, architectural components 22, objects 23, variable boundaries 24, information 25, location (micro and macro) 26, tools 27, energy 28, input and output 29 both among elements of the environment 30 and to external elements from the environment 31, and an operating system 32. Variable boundaries can include, for example, the porosity of the environment. This variable is matched to the environment based on the agents, the scope and nature of the work, and the influence of other environmental factors. Important influences on the agent or agents in relation to the environment include energy 33, the physical nature of the agents 34, the knowledge and intellectual properties of the individual agents 35, the agents psychological makeup 36, and the knowledge base of agent characteristics 37, both for the agents as individuals 38 and as a group 39.

Figure SS1-5

Figure SS1-5 illustrates important components of the performing work element 45 of the present invention. These components include identifying or developing a goal model 46, such as an end state model that enables the problem to be created and dissolved, acquiring experience 47, reframing 48, recognizing patterns 49, building models 50, simulating 51, selecting 52, testing 53, deciding 54, and iterating 55. In addition, input and output 56 among the components and from the components to external components and an operating system 57 make up aspects of the perform work element 45 of the present invention.

Figure SS1-6

Figure SS1-6 presents examples or elements of the altered or output agent 60 produced by iterations of the present invention. The output agent 60 consists of one or more of an altered input agent 61, altered environment elements 62, new agents 63, such as work products or non-autonomous agents, and agent mission maps 64. In addition, input and output 65 among the components and from the components to external components and an operating system 66 make up aspects of the output agent element 60 of the present invention.

SS1-7

Figure SS1-7 presents examples or elements of the output agent and new environment interaction 70. These elements include the output agent medium 71, such as a document or a program, mission 72, output agent feedback and communication 73, and new environment feedback and communication 74. In addition, input and output 75 among the components and from the components to external components and an operating system 76 make up aspects of the output agent and new environment interaction element 70 of the present invention.

Other aspects of the system and process of the present invention may be gleaned by reviewing the attached Appendices, which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

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posted June 1, 2000

revised July 8, 2000
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