Xtages

xtages

Seven Stages of Empire

From Pre-Seed to Series A: Navigating the Key Stages of Product Development

The 3 Stages of Improving Your Everyday Life as a Developer

একজন বিকাশকারী হিসাবে আপনার দৈনন্দিন জীবনের উন্নতির 3টি ধাপ

Die 3 Phasen zur Verbesserung Ihres Alltags als Entwickler

Las 3 etapas para mejorar tu vida diaria como desarrollador

Les 3 étapes pour améliorer votre quotidien de développeur

एक डेवलपर के रूप में अपने दैनिक जीवन को बेहतर बनाने के 3 चरण

開発者としての日常生活を改善するための 3 つの段階

개발자로서 일상 생활을 개선하는 3단계

As 3 etapas para melhorar sua vida cotidiana como desenvolvedor

3 этапа улучшения вашей повседневной жизни разработчика

Bir Geliştirici Olarak Günlük Yaşamınızı İyileştirmenin 3 Aşaması

3 giai đoạn cải thiện cuộc sống hàng ngày của bạn với tư cách là một nhà phát triển

改善开发人员日常生活的三个阶段

This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED license. Authors: (1) Shanshan Han & Qifan Zhang, UCI; (2) Wenxuan Wu, Texas A&M University; (3) Baturalp Buyukates, Yuhang Yao & Weizhao Jin, USC; (4) Salman Avestimehr, USC & FedML. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Problem Setting The Proposed Two-Stages Anomaly Detection Verifiable Anomaly Detection using ZKP Evaluations Related Works Conclusion & References 3 THE PROPOSED TWO-STAGED ANOMALY DETECTION 3.1 CROSS-ROUND CHECK The goal of the cross-round check is to detect whether attacks happened in the current FL iteration. Below, we first give a high-level idea of the algorithm, then explain the algorithm in more details. The cross-round check algorithm is given in Algorithm 2, which has the following steps. The server loads the reference models, including the global model from the last FL training round, as well as the cached local models that are deemed as “benign” from the previous FL training round (Line 4 and 5). For the first round that does not have a reference global model and cached local models, the algorithm assumes there are attacks and skips the cross-round check stage to directly go into the second stage. Step 1: Initialization. If any client models are detected as “potentially malicious”, the server outputs an indicator that attacks might have happened in the current FL round, and the algorithm then enters the next stage to further inspect and remove malicious client models. Step 3: Return an indicator of potential attacks. 3.2 CROSS-CLIENT ANOMALY DETECTION We give an overview of the cross-client detection stage and provide details of the algorithm. Overview. In cross-client detection, the server utilizes the three sigma rule to further determine whether attacks have indeed happened on the potentially malicious clients determined in the first stage. Only those local models that are again flagged as “malicious” at this stage are removed from the aggregation. In each FL iteration, the server computes an L2 score between each local model and an approximate average model. The server then uses these scores to compute an approximate normal distribution. Based on the three sigma rule, the server computes a bound for filtering out potentially malicious client models. The algorithm is shown in Algorithm 3. Below, we explain the algorithm in steps. Our algorithm takes the global model computed after removing all malicious local models in the last round as the average model for the current FL round. For the first FL training round that does not have an average model for reference, our algorithm uses mKrum to compute an approximate average model. As the FL server does not know the number of potential malicious clients, we set m to L/2 to compute an approximate average model based on the assumption that the number of malicious clients is less than L/2, where L is the number of clients in each FL round. Such an approximate average model is used to compute L2 distances for local models in the current FL training round. Step 1: Obtain an average model. The algorithm utilizes the average model, denoted as w , and uses it to compute an 2 score ( ., the Euclidean distance) for each local model w as S = ||wiI − w || in the current FL training round. Step 2: Compute scores for each client model. avg L i.e i i avg The bound for removing malicious clients is defined as λ (λ > 0) standard deviation of the mean as µ + λσ. The server deems local models with scores higher than the boundary as “anomaly local models” and removes them from the aggregation. Note that we only take one side of the bounds of the three sigma rule, as we prefer lower L2 scores, which indicate that the local model is “closer” to the average model. Thus, we do not filter out client models with scores lower than µ − λσ. Step 4: Remove malicious local models based on the three sigma rule and the L2 scores. Step 5: Compute a new average model for later FL iteration. After removing malicious client models, the server uses the benign local models to compute an average model for the next round. Algorithm 2 and Algorithm 3 utilize local models and global models to compute scores (i.e., cosine similarities in Algorithm 2 and L2 distances in Algorithm 3), which requires storing full client models in cache and use them in computation. To reduce the cache size and the computation time, similar to Fung et al. (2020), we utilize a layer that can represent a whole model, called the “importance layer”, instead of using full models. Intuitively, we select the second-to-the-last layer, as it contains more information in regards to the whole model. We experimentally verify this in Section 5. Optimizations for computation and storage.

The Proposed Two-Stages of Zero-Knowledge-Proof-Based Anomaly Detection

In the fast-paced world of startups, securing funding is a pivotal step in guiding a business from its embryonic stages to full-fledged market success. This journey is often segmented into different stages of funding rounds, notably Series A, B, and C, each representing a crucial phase in a startup's development and growth. These funding rounds are not merely financial injections but are milestones that signify maturing business models, expanding market presence, and evolving strategic goals. Series A funding lays the foundation, focusing on refining the product and business model. Series B is the fuel for growth and market expansion, while Series C often represents a phase of scaling operations to new heights, possibly major acquisition. gearing up for an IPO or Understanding the nuances of each series, from the perspectives of both entrepreneurs and investors, is essential in charting a course for success in the competitive landscape of startup ventures. This exploration into Series A, B, and C funding will shed light on their distinct characteristics, the typical investor profiles, and the strategic implications for startups as they ascend through these transformative stages. Series A Funding: Laying the Groundwork for Growth Purpose and Characteristics Series A funding typically represents the first significant round of venture capital financing for a startup. At this stage, a company has developed a track record, either through user growth, consistent revenue figures, or other . The primary purpose of Series A funding is to optimize product offerings and scale the user base. key performance indicators Typical Investors Investors in Series A rounds are primarily venture capital firms. who participated in seed funding might continue their support. The investment is usually in millions of dollars, and investors expect a developed business model and a clear path to profitability. Angel investors Impact on Startups Securing Series A funding is a testament to a startup's potential. It provides capital for product refinement, market expansion, and building a skilled team. Startups must focus on honing their business models and developing a sustainable, long-term growth strategy. Series B Funding: Fueling Market Expansion Purpose and Characteristics Series B rounds are about taking businesses to the next level, past the development stage. Companies at this stage have proven market fit and are ready to expand their market reach. This round is about scaling up, growing the customer base, and expanding market presence. Typical Investors The investor pool in Series B typically includes a mix of earlier backers and new venture capitalists specializing in later-stage investing. These investors bring not just capital but also valuable market expertise and networking opportunities. Impact on Startups Series B funding allows startups to grow aggressively. This is the time to invest in talent, develop marketing strategies, and possibly explore new markets or acquisitions. The challenge for startups is to manage this rapid growth while maintaining company culture and operational efficiency. Series C Funding: Scaling and Diversifying Purpose and Characteristics Series C funding is often geared toward scaling the company, increasing market share, and diversifying products or services. Companies at this stage are already successful, and this round of funding is about taking them to the next level, potentially preparing for an IPO or acquisition. Typical Investors Series C investors include , private equity firms, and sometimes hedge funds or investment banks. The investments are substantial, often reaching tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Investors at this stage are looking for companies with a strong customer base and consistent revenue streams. venture capital firms Impact on Startups With Series C funding, companies can expand internationally, develop new products, or even acquire other companies. This is also a stage where valuation becomes a significant focus, as companies are looking toward an IPO or major acquisition. The challenge is to maintain a competitive edge and continue innovating while scaling operations. Strategies for Navigating Series Funding : Across all stages, a robust business plan is crucial. It should clearly outline the company’s goals, strategies, and how the funding will be used. Developing a Strong Business Plan : Long-term relationships with investors can be valuable. who offer not just capital but also mentorship and industry connections. Building Relationships with Investors Entrepreneurs should seek investors : While rapid growth is often a goal, it's essential to maintain a focus on sustainable, long-term strategies. Focusing on Sustainable Growth : Each funding round typically comes with a share dilution for existing stakeholders. Startups should be prepared for this and the changes in governance that might come with new investors. Preparing for Dilution and Governance Changes : Being acutely aware of market trends and dynamics is crucial for timing funding rounds effectively. Understanding Market Dynamics Series A, B, and C funding rounds are pivotal moments in a startup's journey. Each stage serves a distinct purpose, from refining the business model in Series A, and scaling operations in Series B, to expanding market presence and preparing for major corporate events in Series C. The transition through these stages is not just about securing capital; it's about strategic growth, building strong investor relationships, and steering the company toward long-term success. As startups navigate these waters, the focus should always be on sustainable growth, market understanding, and the effective use of capital to achieve strategic goals.

Scaling Success: Navigating the Stages of Series A, B, and C Funding in the Startup Journey

A product can be anything and the role and responsibilities of a product manager change across different industries. In this post, I will remove some myths on the Product Manager role and share a bird-eye view on the product development process along with some frameworks that may come useful in remembering the overall process. Product Manager Role Product Managers are not managers of anybody except for school interns who aspire to become product managers themselves. The PM acts as a central node in the product development process and is ultimately responsible for the success of the product. The role brings all the viewpoints together and is designed with no direct reports so that the engineering/design team can develop an open-communication relationship to express their ideas and concerns. Many often confuse between a Project Manager and Product Manager; the Project Manager is responsible for the successful execution of the project within the agreed timeline and budget constraint while the Product Manager meets the product goal and metrics. Product Development Process Innovation process: The product development process can be broadly navigated in three stages: Ideation, Feasibility, and Capability. The funnel starts with the discovery of the business situation and organizational context. To begin with, it’s important to understand the business aim of any product and requires big-thinking. and mix are used to benchmark various strategic opportunities and identify business areas that need the most attention. BOSSCARD is a good framework to capture initial thoughts and provide terms of reference for a new project. The description is common in project initiation documents and the framework provides all the necessary information to stakeholders without looking at lengthy, detailed initiation documents. The acronym in BOSSCARD stands for Background, Objectives / Opportunities, Scope, Sustainability, Constraints, Assumptions, Resources/Risks (based on project context), and Deliverables. The BOSSCARD is important to have a formal agreement before the kick-off as without it always almost lead to some expectation being not met. Nowadays, there is a trend to use PRFAQ — popularized by Amazon - as the first document. Six forces model the 4-Ps marketing Get: I call the first stage in the funnel as the Ideation stage. In this stage, we brainstorm and think about problems from the user’s perspective. I would like to emphasize the importance of focusing on problems rather than solutions at this stage. Various methods such as personas and others can follow a process to learn more about customers and articulate the use-cases. CIRCLES method developed by Lewis helps Product Managers to articulate customer’s needs and is a great framework to not only solve complex work problems but also crack PM interviews. We cleared the charter gate — gate between the Ideation and Feasibility Stage. Validate: CIRCLES method leads us to the Feasibility stage — the next stage of our product development process. After we have an overview of solutions, it’s important to fine-tune and make them business-ready. In the feasibility stage, Product managers work closely with customers, designers, and engineers to create and iterate mock-ups. They use Goal-Signal-Metrics of each element of HEART objectively to learn whether the product is improving. The HEART framework originated at Google and the team used it to narrow down their focus on a few key metrics so they can test the progress objectively. I develop a detailed roadmap and business case to take sign-offs and resource commitment from relevant stakeholders. A best practice is to have graphic displays of information in which it reflects the entire journey of the product from vision (conceptual) to a technical point of view. In many and now most organizations, the A/B testing result or MVP is the expectation to clear the contract gate and move to the next stage. The contract gate document is the most detailed product development document and acts as a single source of truth across various teams in the organization. Implement: Engineers work on the agreed plan and in this stage- Capability stage- the project manager takes the control of the project from the Product Manager and is responsible to make sure development runs on schedule. Various project management tools such as Agile, SCRUM are used to track the project. Marketing uses the window to create content across blogs, videos, and other promotional platforms. The legal/regulatory team makes sure the product complies with the local laws and discusses the implementation with the regional team. The stage ends with the clearing of Market Ready gate with a big launch and celebration! After the launch, PLE (Post Launch Evaluation) kicks in and we compare user data against set goals. Also published . here

Mastering Product Development: Guiding Through Three Critical Stages with Business Leadership Expert

A website serves as a crucial gateway for new business opportunities. Building a new website or redesigning one can be a challenging journey.  After leading the redesign of my company’s website, I decided to share a bit of our journey. If you are considering building a new website or redesigning your current one, we hope this will help you by making your journey smoother. Assessment Our website is an important entry door for new business for us. Being a web development boutique, how we present ourselves online tells a lot about our work and what customers can expect when working with us. Once we decided we wanted to create a new website to match our new brand, it was clear to us that we had to walk the talk and show our customers and audience a good quality website. Our team put a lot of thought and effort into the preparation phase before starting to work. We started with a simple question: Why Do We Need a Website or Redesign? This is an excellent way to keep the focus on your goals and avoid getting sidetracked. Once we understood our why, we then went through the process of Identifying Our Target audience. To whom we were building this website. It’s essential to clearly understand who you’re trying to reach and what you want them to know about your brand and work. We then started thinking about the Message We Wanted to Pass to that audience, how we wanted to be seen and, most importantly, how we could prove that we were good at what we do. A big part of this message was thought through during the brand creation (Check ), and we had to transmit that into the new website. how we created our new brand Since we already had an online presence, we took some time to Evaluate Our Old Website and list the features and aspects that we felt were working well and what we felt was missing. It was also very important in this whole process to follow up with a Competitors Benchmark to try to understand what companies in our industry were doing. We also look around on other types of websites to get references and inspiration. This gave us some valuable insights and helped us to avoid repeating mistakes or missing out on essential features. The final step of this preparation phase was the List of Features and Functionalities we wanted to have on our website. This was like creating a wish list like we could do everything we wanted. The list was later prioritized, and we selected the features that were a MUST and the ones that were a NICE TO HAVE that could be implemented later on. It is important to focus on the most critical elements first. Some of those steps were done together with the entire team. Being a small team, we wanted to have everyone involved in this process to some extent. After this first assessment, we started to divide and conquer and had dedicated team members responsible for transforming our new website into a reality. Design We were excited to dive into the Design Process for our web project. UI/UX Design is a critical aspect of any web project. We had a multidisciplinary team involved, but the designer was the show’s star, responsible for creating the visual representation of the message we wanted to pass on to our audience. It was essential for the designer to clearly understand the project’s needs and expectations to convey our message visually and structure the content accordingly. We aimed for a concise, engaging design with the right tone. During this phase of the project, we followed these steps: We adopted a user-centric approach right from the start. We focused on how our target audience would perceive and interact with us. This is why we began by working on the Information Architecture, deciding on the pages, sections, and components needed and creating a first draft of the copy. Next, we created low-fi wireframes to provide a rough, low-fidelity representation of the layout and functionality. It allowed us to test and experiment with ideas before investing too much time and effort into the design. We also considered the general user flow at this stage. This phase was critical as it laid the foundation for the whole landscape of components to be used: creating a Design System. We built a library using that included design patterns, guidelines, and examples. This library was a single source of truth, ensuring coherence between all UI elements and setting the groundwork for scalability when introducing new components. Figma Once the design system was defined, we built the layouts in High Fidelity. We applied the UI to the lo-fi wireframes created until then. At this stage, the design was fully tested for compliance with accessibility requirements, and we drew more refined conclusions regarding the content display. We used throughout the process, which made it easier to collaborate with the team and make iterations. After a few iterations, we had an optimal version that our developers could work on. Figma Development We focused on selecting the tech stack and implementing the designs in the project's development phase. We worked in sprints based on a product backlog with user stories created by our project manager. Choosing tech stack As the design phase progressed, we investigated which technologies best fit the website we wanted to build. Our developers were able to determine this based on the results of the previous phases. Choosing the right tech stack has become more important than ever in today’s world, as many options are available. We considered various criteria, such as the project’s requirements, the team’s expertise, availability of resources, costs, performance, security, and scalability. We wanted a simple, fast, and beautiful website for this project. We adopted a modular approach, breaking down the website’s components, features, and functionality into smaller, reusable components. This approach allowed us to reuse components across different parts of the website, facilitating collaboration among developers and designers, making it easier to test and maintain what was developed, and ultimately allowing for improved performance and reduced page load times. Our developers advocated for , an all-in-one web framework for fast, content-focused websites. They were looking forward to trying out the fastest content-focused framework out there. Three things caught our team’s attention: server-side rendering, performance results, and flexibility. Astro With the simple website we were going for, we did not need a fully-fledged Content Management System (CMS), but we wanted to enable non-technical team members to work on the website. We extensively researched different CMS options and ultimately chose Sanity due to its robust features and ease of use. also had great documentation and a very generous free tier. Sanity In addition to Astro and Sanity, we also decided to use for our project. Well, we always do. Netlify’s seamless deployment and hosting capabilities usually is our go-to Content Delivery Network (CDN). We also used various libraries for animations, which we discussed more in-depth in another blog post (coming soon). Netlify One aspect for improvement was the form we created for potential customers to reach out to us. We used Netlify’s form, which turned out to be not the best option due to the Forms’ issues with Astro. We found a solution (hot-fix) and created a single page for our contact form. We are still considering how to change this for the future. Development process Before starting with the development phase, the project manager created a product backlog with details on all the features and functionalities to be built by the team. These user stories made the development process smooth and transparent. Before building the website, the team had to prioritize the features and functionalities that would be part of the first website delivery. For the code repository, we used and utilized its Project Management boards and sprint planning features. GH is usually our choice for Version Control System, but we have started using and are loving it for project management. GitHub (GH) Notion Projects We started implementing the designs. We followed the agile methodology and worked in sprints to ensure we were on track and delivering results within the set timelines. One small note: this was an internal project, and our main priority was on our client’s projects. This means the sprints would happen soon after our team caught a break from other projects. This is not usually how we work, but it was how we managed this and a lesson learned not to repeat it. Another critical point in making the whole development process transparent and agile was to have a staging link right from the start of the project. Everyone involved in the project had access to it, and we could see the progress being made, give feedback, and make changes and small adaptations when we felt it was needed. During the development phase, the marketing team was able to start inserting content. This helped them get used to Sanity and contributed to more realistic feedback rounds. Overall, the development phase was a collaborative effort that involved the entire team working together to achieve the project’s objectives. Quality Assurance During development, one or two developers tested every feature and functionality. All code went through code review, and in the end, we did a final sprint for testing and ensuring the website was working as it should. The usability and accessibility testing was already done during the design phase, as described above. For general tests, we used the user stories and the acceptance criteria created by our project manager to guide us. Functional testing: confirm that all the features were working as expected. Performance test: check speed load and other scores using Lighthouse. Cross-Browser and Cross-Device Testing: Test the website on various web browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) to ensure compatibility and a consistent user experience. For this, we used . Their product is very intuitive to use and allows for a lot of tests. BrowserStack Go-live Preparation We were all set to make the website live on the staging link, but before we proceeded with it, two crucial things had to be carefully considered- redirecting to the new domain and SEO. Since we planned to change the domain, ensuring that our SEO ranking didn’t take a hit was crucial. Therefore, we decided to use 301 redirects to inform search engines and browsers that the original URL had been replaced permanently with a new one. Here’s what we did: List of all the pages from the current website: If the URL structure of a page was kept the same, confirm the 301 redirect was working. When the old page URL is not on the new website, create a redirect to the most appropriate page. List the pages indexed in Google to ensure we had redirects in place for all of them. Use Netlify to redirect everything, following the steps in their . Netlify Documentation Notify Google about the change on the Console’s tool. Change of Address Ask Google to reindex the new domain so old pages don’t appear. This was done directly in the Google Console, following the steps available in the Google Console Documentation. Last but definitely not least, we took the time to work on making sure we had considered best practices for better SEO ranking and pinpointed what needed to be improved. The marketing team made sure to go through the following: To optimize the new website for relevant keywords looking to rank higher in search engine results and attract organic traffic, we follow with a keyword search using tools such as Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to discover popular and less competitive keywords We tried as much as possible to optimize meta title tags and meta descriptions on each webpage, incorporating relevant keywords and compelling calls-to-action to entice users to click through from search engine result pages (SERPs) Ensured the URLs were clean, concise, and included targeted keywords Alt Text: Provide descriptive alt text for images, utilizing keywords where appropriate Confirm Page Speed Optimization (with the stack we used, it was hard not to have a great result here). Result Well, it was a long journey until we had our website live. But guess what? The work continued beyond launch. The first phase was a strong base for what we wanted to achieve. Building it in a modular approach also gave us the flexibility to iterate, change and adapt the website to new trends and needs. We are happy with the result and proud of how we got here. We hope that by sharing our journey, you know what to expect when building a new website or redesigning one. To summarise everything we have shared here, we have prepared a small cheat-sheet so you can use this on your project. Also published . here

The 4 Stages of Great Website Design (With Cheatsheet!)

দুর্দান্ত ওয়েবসাইট ডিজাইনের 4টি পর্যায় (চিটশিট সহ!)

Die 4 Phasen eines großartigen Website-Designs (mit Cheatsheet!)

Las 4 etapas de un gran diseño de sitios web (¡con hoja de referencia!)

Les 4 étapes d'une bonne conception de site Web (avec aide-mémoire !)

बेहतरीन वेबसाइट डिज़ाइन के 4 चरण (चीटशीट के साथ!)

優れたウェブサイトデザインの 4 つの段階 (チートシート付き!)

훌륭한 웹사이트 디자인의 4단계(치트시트 포함!)

Os 4 estágios de um ótimo design de site (com cheatsheet!)

4 этапа создания отличного веб-сайта (с шпаргалкой!)

Mükemmel Web Sitesi Tasarımının 4 Aşaması (Alıntı Sayfayla!)

4 giai đoạn thiết kế trang web tuyệt vời (Với Cheatsheet!)

优秀网站设计的 4 个阶段（附备忘单！）

*Photo by Ben Sweet on Unsplash* What happens when a nerd reads psychology? He comes up with seven stages of identity development. The following is a summary of one of the many fascinating ideas Joscha Bach shared on . Although his theory is informed by psychologist Robert Keegan’s work, he draws on AI, consciousness and cognitive science background to create a theory of his own. this podcast A Quick Intro Into Kegan’s Work In the , distinguished six developmental stages. For Kegan, the development of the Self is a process of the mind gradually becoming aware of itself. You build a mental structure of who you are and how the world operates. Evolving Self Robert Kegan Although it’s considered a developmental model, it would make more sense to call it a framework because development doesn’t happen in distinct stages. You might go through stages in parallel or need to revisit the previous stage. How The Mind Generates Reality We don’t yet fully know how consciousness is generated. We just know we’re here, and we’re conscious. The brain sits in a dark box and never sees the light of day. Its idea of what’s going on is generated by the input from the sensory data. So the five senses (smell, touch, vision, hearing, taste) and the brain act as buffers between us and reality. This means that we have never experienced the reality, only our of the real world. real perception Our brain offers a view of the world based on our underlying assumptions (mostly developed in the early years or during times of (IDENTITY) crises). I wrote a longer piece on the topic of reality , and Joscha explains this much better in the podcast. here You’re interacting with a game engine unconsciously created by you, for you. Everyone is. The Seven Stages Bach views this as a framework that allows you to understand how the mind works. The stages are: Reactive survival (Infant) Personal self (Young child) Social self (Adolescence) Rational Agency (Self-direction) Self-authoring (Full adulthood) Enlightenment Transcendence Stage 1 (Infancy) In infancy, there’s no concept of self yet. Instead, you have an attentional self that builds the view of the world and the initial model of self. It’s a bit like building a game engine in the brain to track sensory data and interpret that data. Stage 2 (Young child) Once you finish building the model of the world (stage 1), the self starts to come together. It arises as an agent for you to be able to interact with the world. We think of the outside world as an objective reality, but it’s a model of the world that has been generated by our mind. So, as young children, we begin interacting with the “outside” world based on the model of the world we developed in stage 1 (I guess it would make sense to say the model of the world that was installed for us). Stage 3 (Adolescence) After this personal self and stage two are online, many people form a social self. That allows you to experience yourself as part of the group. You begin forming your opinions by assimilating them from your group. is the underlying worry. What my environment thinks about x At this stage, you also begin building empathy. Empathy should not be mistaken with compassion (feeling sympathy for others’ joy and pain). Empathy is building a mental architecture similar to your group. Akin to a hive mind. It becomes difficult to resonate with the group if you are wired differently. That’s why people we refer to as ‘nerds’ or neurotypical people sometimes struggle in this stage. Their question is, do you stay a little bit autistic, or do you catch up? And you can catch up, but that usually happens later in life when you can consciously build empathy. Stage 4 (Rational Agent) You begin to understand that stuff is true and false regardless of what other people believe, and you have agency over your own beliefs. In this stage, you discover epistemology, the rules about determining what’s true and false, and can determine for yourself, as opposed to looking for the hive mind for answers, what’s true. Stage 5 (Self-Authoring) At this stage, you discover how identity is constructed. You realize that your values are not terminal, but they’re instrumental to achieving a world that you like and aesthetics that you prefer. The more you understand this, the more you get agency over how your identity is constructed, and you realize that identity and interpersonal interaction are a costume, and you have agency over that costume. It’s useful to be a costume because it tells something to others, and it allows you to interface in different roles (partner, daughter, employee, boss, friend etc.). This stage is also considered to be full adulthood because you begin understanding that other people form their identities depending on past experiences. You realize that everybody could be you in a different timeline if you have had the experiences they had. their Stage 6 (Enlightenment) At this stage, you can collapse the division between a personal self and the ‘generator’ (the mind) of the world. A lot of people get there via meditation or psychedelics or by accident (like Ekhard Tolle). You suddenly notice that you are not actually a person, but you are a vessel (consciousness) that can create a person, and the person is still there. You observe that personal self, but from the outside, and you notice it’s a representation. You might also notice that the world that is being created is a representation of you. This creates the experience of I am the universe. The thing that’s creating everything. It’s not like you’re creating quantum mechanics and the physical universe. What you’re creating is this game engine that is updating the world, and you’re creating your valence, your feelings, and all the people inside of that world, including the person that you identify with. Stage 7 (Transcendence) This stage is more or less hypothetical, says Bach. It’s a trans-humanist stage in which you understand how you work, in which the mind fully realizes how it’s implemented, and can also, in principle, enter different modes in which it could be implemented. According to Bach, this stage is not open to people yet, but this could change if/when we merge with AI. To Close Most people get stuck around stage 3. If the online world is to be judged as the representation of the real world, the collective is definitely stuck in stage 3, aren’t we? Liberal, republican, cryptoboi, woke, pro-Peterson, anti-abortion, etc. Social media encourages us to pick a side, and that further cements our identity, even in the real world. But identity is not everything. There are other stages past stage 3. P.S. You can listen to a (23 mins) I recorded on this topic with more commentary about each stage. podcast

 7 Stages of Identity Development, According to a Cognitive Scientist

In this article, I’m going to share how to receive a return on your software investment as fast as possible through examples of others’ mistakes. One stage – one mistake. If you are planning on implementing an information system on your own, you need to understand that your problems only start with the payment for your newly acquired software. Project Initiation Mistake One. Not Initiating Implementation Officially At Company X, a special work group was created to choose the suitable information system. It was a very tight-knit team who chose to implement the system on the company’s server after only four weeks of discussions, and then assigned the project to the implementation team. And chaos ensued: the second group challenged everything that had been agreed and approved by the first one. They were seemingly against the changes, but, in reality, they just didn’t have the necessary information. Just imagine: the IT specialist setting up the system didn’t know that, in case of local installation, he would also need to set up the system. In the end, the works were delayed for 3 weeks, and everyone was on edge. How to avoid this problem: When you have the work group and the responsible parties are defined, notify your employees that a new system is being introduced: conduct a jump start meeting or online briefing and answer all questions, so that even remote employees were in the know. Issue an order on the project initiation, send it to all employees to read, because, otherwise, people who weren’t notified, can be distrustful of the project, have their concerns or even attempt to stonewall it. If your implementation team is not the team that has chosen the software, it’s important to provide them with all the information gathered at the previous stage. Assigning and Training Administrator Mistake Two. Not Assigning or Training System Administrators Company Y bought a cloud service. All the negotiations were conducted by the Head of Contracts who initiated the project because it was important to her to arrange for transparent contractual relations. During the meeting, she said that the company had the IT specialist who would set up the system, but he was not aware of this and told his colleague: “It’s your system – you set it up.” The company opted out of the vendor’s setup, and the project initiator had to do everything by herself: study references and work with no-code applications. Just imagine how disappointed the client felt! Fortunately, everything worked out fine. Every piece of software should have an employee responsible for it since an empty system will be useless and a bad setup will irritate everyone with inaccurate rules. Besides, the system should grow continuously and change along with the company. Ideally, you should have the following roles filled: The system owner who will make decisions on the system growth and changes, Process owners. These are heads of the departments whose processes are automated by the system. They must keep them updated and provide improvement suggestions, System administrator (for the local installation option) who will be responsible for the software installation, updates and troubleshooting, Analyst who will set up new processes and update the existing ones. For small companies, one or two persons can assume several positions. How to avoid this problem: Assign an analyst who will be trained in the system setup, and, for local installation, additionally, system administrators – in the system setup and maintenance, Relieve the administrators from their ongoing job duties while they are taking the courses, Provide the administrators with all the information on the corporate structure, types of documents and chains of approvals. Software Installation Mistake Three. Forgetting to Estimate Your Resources for Local Installation If you choose cloud deployment, skip this stage: the system will be installed by the supplier’s specialists without your involvement and they will simply give you access details. At Company Z, for the local installation, one of the customers said that their admin would manage the installation on the server by himself, and it will be us, the supplier, who would set up the system. After the installation software delivery, we waited for the IT specialist’s go-ahead to start with our part of the job. It was one week, then another, and another… The CEO started to ask us why the system wasn’t ready. It turned out that their IT specialist was busy with his regular job duties and didn’t have the time to read the software instructions and dragged without informing the manager. Four working days more – and we were tasked with the installation. We could finally get moving. How to avoid this problem: It’s important that you discuss the IT specialist’s competences and workload with him. If it becomes clear that the process will be time-consuming, you should order the installation from the vendor. The more the system sits on the shelf, the higher the probability that it will stay on this shelf forever. It’s best to include the system administrator into the work group from the start, so that he understood what he is going to deal with, Check that the communications between the IT Department and the vendor’s manager are up and running, Study technical server requirements and installation instructions provided by the vendor. Based on them, you can agree upon the deadlines for studying the documentation and for the installation itself. If a lot of time has passed after the system was delivered to you and it’s still not installed, ask the supplier for the latest version of the software. Business Process Design Mistake Four. Tasking an Inexperienced Employee with Business Process Design One of our clients was planning on deploying a system on their own server. An employee with a 2-month experience at the company was assigned as the project manager. Probably, the management assumed that the new employee didn’t have too many tasks and that she was capable enough based on her CV. But in reality, she had trouble answering the questions about the company’s processes, corporate pain points, its hardware and resources. When it was time for structuring business processes and filling in the initial setup questionnaire, the project deadlines were at risk. The employee was not familiar with the colleagues responsible for the processes, couldn’t approach them with questions regarding the rules, and was afraid to insist that this information was critical. At the same time, she didn’t ask for help from the management to not seem incompetent. In the end, it took 2 months to just fill in the questionnaire. Of course, the company’s CEO ran out of patience, and the employee was on the brink of dismissal. But the reality was that she was initially tasked with a mission too complicated for a new employee. How to avoid this problem: Assign an experienced employee who knows the company and the colleagues to be the project manager responsible for the analysis and information gathering. It will take far less time and will be far less stressful. Make it an official order for the employees to assist the project manager. After the questionnaire is completed, have all the information necessary for the system setup approved by experienced employees. By the way, it’s important to study the information gathered and assess your processes at this stage. You will probably catch some odd stages. For example, currently, your contracts are approved successively, going from one employee to another, and, with your system in place, you will be able to have it approved in parallel to save time. System Setup Mistake Five. Delaying Setup for Months Design studio X purchased a cloud service. The customer insisted that they would set up the system immediately but a busy season started. There was a lot of work, and the priorities changed. As a result, the system wasn’t launched even 3.5 months later. Since the cloud service was paid annually and the customer used the system less than 9 months instead of 12, the company lost money. How to avoid this problem: Some administrators don’t start the setup because they are afraid to make a mistake, damage business processes, or raise the ire of the colleagues. As a matter of fact, modern systems are very flexible, and you can correct any error quite promptly. Begin preparing the system and gathering information right from the start, when you are still choosing the suitable system. Enlist your manager’s support and ask them to allot a certain time specifically for the setup. Remember that delaying the implementation is a complete waste of resources and loss of profits due to suboptimal processes. Training Your Employees Mistake Six. Forgetting to Manage User Training Company Z had 56 employees. The customer said that they would train one administrator who would then give lessons to all other employees divided into three groups. Good choice! But the administrator relied on his colleagues’ self-discipline who were tasked with reading reference documents every morning by themselves. It’s no wonder that the training didn’t go right: after all, the employees had no control, no assistance, no motivation. In the end, they couldn’t understand the system’s logic, didn’t know how to create documents and what to do with them. In private, they complained that the system was too complicated and even started asking to go back to their usual paper-based processes. Thankfully, the CEO took matters in his own hands in time, arranged for the training services and started to refuse to sign paper documents. Companies often ignore the user training stage but, in reality, if your employees can’t use the system, they will make a lot of mistakes, waste time, and eventually start avoiding it. By the way, it is usually the employees with bad performance who object to the changes because they don’t benefit from transparent processes. How to avoid this problem: Inform the users that their work will change for the better, which routine processes they will get rid of, and what types of work will speed up. Purchase a special course for regular users. Alternatively, make it obligatory for all employees to study reference documents or video instructions for one hour each day for two weeks. Control this process and motivate the employees. Another option is to have a couple of employees well-trained with a course so that they, in turn, could train other groups of users. Record your own how-to videos and create instructions with screenshots to make the training easier. Stimulate the employees who have started actively using the system, praise them at meetings, mention their work and efforts. Actively involve the management in usage of the system. Test Operation Mistake Seven. Work Group Doesn’t Test the System At Company Z, the IT specialist decided to save time and let all the employees use the new system all at once. What a nuisance! The Legal Department started sending urgent documents but there were inconsistencies. For example, lawyers received agreements before they were agreed upon by the counterparties. The company had to immediately cease all electronic operations. After this mishap, the management assigned five employees to check all the agreements against the rules, and they managed to catch all the errors within several days. Two weeks later, all employees resumed their use of the system, with the time needed for document approval decreasing twice. How to avoid this problem: Have the work group use the new system first: they should send tasks, generate assignments, and create various types of documents. Enter all faults into a separate document with a full description of the process, so that the administrator could understand what should be adjusted. Make use of the hours allotted for consultations to correctly set up the system and take heed of the vendor’s advice. Pilot Operation and System Development Mistake Eight. Missing out on Continuous Support and Development of the System Company Y implemented and was using a system for almost two years. The administrator got trained and was good at maintaining it. During that time, he didn’t turn to the support service once because he was able to resolve all the issues using reference documents. The company continued to grow, and this key employee got transferred to a department in another city. The first branch was left with no administrator who could add new employees, change positions, introduce new document types and approval rules. In the end, the system no longer met current business needs and only stirred resentment. The company had to urgently seek another administrator to save the day. How to avoid this problem: Enter all the involved departments into the system’s reference documents and make other customisations, actively launch processes, sign documents, issue orders. This will help you polish your processes. Create a L1 support service consisting of the lead users and the administrator as there will be a lot of similar questions at first. Train several administrators to make them interchangeable. Even well-polished processes will require adjustments at some point. When possible, record in brief which adjustments were done, so that the new administrator didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. My congratulations! Your system has been successfully implemented! Now comes the most interesting part: working with the new rules and watching how the company changes for the better.

Essential Problems at Key Stages of Information System Implementation and How to Resolve Them

On WWDC 2023 presentation was conducted by Apple, and we saw many new products. But my attention was attracted to VR-helmet Apple Vision Pro. So, what is so unusual in this device for developers? The best way to describe this thing is the five stages of grief. Denial and Anger Of course, my first reaction was a negative one. In my opinion, it's normal for a new Apple product. First of all, it's the design. Just look at the reactions on the Internet. Everyone compares it to a diving set that has spawned a huge number of memes. Secondly, there is the price. Once again, Apple showed that its devices are premium and were not ashamed to put the price tag at $3499. Let's be honest; the cost is overpriced, as always. Apple has a fairly good chance of launching a new mainstream for virtual reality, although there are people who still doubt the potential of the technology itself. It is already clear that many companies use it in the fields of education, military, and marketing. For example, you can right now choose hairstyles in the field of beauty or visit the salon for a new car in additional reality, as well as the gaming industry causes a special stir. It is worth remembering at least Pokemon Go, where millions of players still go crazy looking for Pokemon around the city. I also want to mention IKEA, which actively helps to create the design of our dreams. Progress toward AR is obvious, and Apple's interest in this area will cause a new surge of emotions. Bargaining The rumors turned out to be true, and Apple decided to participate in the VR technology race. Maybe it's not as bad as it seems. Let's look at it from the point of view of their use in development. The glasses use the M2 processor, which can not but rejoice. Macbook with these processors showed that you can change the world for yourself. No one believed that software developers would support the company and release patches for their software. However, the power of the ARM processor didn't stand up to the competition, and everyone supported the company. So I have no doubts that most of the new software will support these glasses. About the cost. At first glance, the price may be inflated. Every developer ideally has a workspace, and there you need a Macbook (~$2000), one or two monitors (~$250-500), and an adapter (~$15). Still expensive. However, imagine the unique level of mobility the glasses provide. Your entire workplace is in these glasses. Unlimited monitors, keyboards, and eye control. Is this the future? One week ago cheap version of the device was announced by Apple. According to rumors from verified sources, the cost of the budget device will be around $3000. Is it worth it if you can get a better machine with a better resolution by paying 500$? I believe that image quality plays a significant role in AR/VR. In any case, it's worth looking at competitors in the form of Meta. Depression Apple is taking a wrong turn somewhere. I mean, Meta has chosen the path of entertainment content, and from the presentation of Apple, it is impossible to conclude who the target audience is. On the one hand, the convenience for work was shown. On the other hand - they did not forget about entertainment content (Hello, Apple Arcade, and TV). Let’s compare these two different products: APPLE PRO VISION META QUEST 2 Price $3499 $1,499 Available in China Yes No Close environment Yes No Sphere of activity Social TV (Apple TV) Gaming (Apple Arcade) Work Social (Metaverse) Gaming Usability Tracking eye Free hands control Remote controller Acceptance I want to believe that the Apple Vision Pro will position itself primarily as a device for developers. The potential for revolutionary discoveries is there. We'll see what it can do when it goes on sale.

The Apple Vision Pro is Best Described Through The Five Stages of Grief

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