Summary

The website content outlines the author's journey in knowledge creation and curation from 2019 to 2024, detailing the evolution of their concept systems from a network to a tree structure through strategic thematic exploration and conceptual elaboration.

Abstract

The author reflects on their intellectual endeavors over several years, which began with the establishment of the Creative Action Learning Lab (CALL) as a digital garage on Medium in October 2019. Over time, CALL evolved into a Knowledge Curation Studio, producing a series of knowledge frameworks and books, and engaging in research projects. The author uses metaphors like the Big Dipper and a Tree of Thoughts to illustrate the complex network of ideas and the transition to an Ecological Practice Approach. This approach is influenced by Ecological Psychology and Activity Theory, among others. The content describes three key diagrams representing the author's creative work at different points in time, showcasing the progression from a network of enterprise to a fractal tree structure, and finally to the Ecological Formism Framework. The author emphasizes the importance of Early Discovery in knowledge engagement, which includes Strategic Thematic Exploration and Conceptual Elaboration, leading to Continuous Objectification of concept systems into tangible outcomes.

Opinions

The author values the use of metaphors, such as the Big Dipper, to visualize and manage the network of ideas in their creative work.
Inspiration is drawn from Howard E. Gruber's Evolving Systems Approach, particularly the concept of "Network of Enterprise," to sustain creative endeavors.
The transition from a network to a tree structure in concept systems is seen as a significant development in the author's knowledge engagement journey.
The Ecological Practice Approach and the Ecological Formism Framework are considered integral to the author's method of curating concept systems.
The author believes in the continuous evolution of ideas, as evidenced by the ongoing development of drafts and frameworks over the years.
The process of Early Discovery is highlighted as a crucial phase in the journey of knowledge engagement, encompassing thematic exploration and conceptual elaboration.
The author's work suggests a commitment to transforming abstract concepts into practical, real-world applications through Continuous Objectification.

The Art of Early Discovery (a short note)

Weaving the Mind and Clarifying the Order

This morning I revisited CALL’s Annual Review (2020–2021) and my recent 2023 annual review.

I’d like to share three related diagrams.

#1 — Oct 31, 2021

On Oct 31, 2021, I wrote CALL: Annual Review (2020–2021) with the above diagram.

CALL stands for Creative Action Learning Lab. I started it as a digital garage on Medium in Oct 2019.

From Oct 2020 to Oct 2021, CALL became a Knowledge Curation Studio which produces a set of knowledge frameworks and builds an ecology of ideas. I also wrote seven books which are drafts. In addition, I worked on four independent research projects to test concepts and frameworks.

How did I curate these creations into a meaningful whole?

In order to visualize this complicated network of ideas, I use Big Dipper as a metaphor to design the above diagram.

Inspired by Howard E. Gruber’s Evolving Systems Approach to the study of Creative Work (1974,1989), I use his idea “Network of Enterprise” to manage my creative work.

According to Gruber, “We use the term enterprise to stand for a group of related projects and activities broadly enough defined so that (1) the enterprise may continue when the creative person finds one path blocked but another open toward the same goal and (2) when success is achieved the enterprise does not come to an end but generates new tasks and projects that continue it.” (1989, p.11)

I sort my frameworks into seven enterprises. Each enterprise has a short nick name.

CALL for ECHO → Boundary Innovation
CALL for LIFE → Creative Life
CALL for NICE → Creative Action
CALL for NEST → Part — Whole
CALL for DEEP → Supportive Development
CALL for NEXT → Present — Future
CALL for META → Meta-knowledge

Each enterprise has its primary theme. Each theme refers to a core framework and a set of related concepts, diagrams, and sub-frameworks.

#2 — Jan 5, 2024

From 2019 to Dec 2023, I wrote 26 possible books (drafts) and developed a set of knowledge frameworks.

From Jan 2, 2024 to Jan 6, 2024, I reflected on these possible books (drafts). Finally, I used a Tree to represent these possible books. See the diagram below.

This tree represents the Ecological Practice Approach which is inspired by Ecological Psychology, Activity Theory, and other social practice theories.

You can find more details in Situational Note-taking: A Tree of Thoughts (Oliver Ding, 2023).

#3 — Dec 18, 2023

On Dec 18, 2023, I used the family of “Container Thinking”, the primary idea of the Ecological Practice Approach, as an example to explain the Ecological Formism Framework.

See the diagram below.

Network vs. Tree

The above three diagrams represent three ways of curating concept systems.

#1 — Oct 31, 2021

Object: Knowledge Frameworks
Method: Metaphor

#2 — Jan 5, 2024

Object: Books (drafts)
Method: A Fractal Tree

#3 — Dec 18, 2023

Object: Knowledge Frameworks
Method: The Ecological Formism Framework

From 2021 to 2024

In the past several years, my concept systems changed from a network to a tree.

Wow!

This is an example of EARLY DISCOVERY of a journey of knowledge engagement.

I consider Strategic Thematic Exploration and Conceptual Elaboration as two phases of EARLY DISCOVERY of the journey of knowledge Engagement. See the diagram below.

The further phase is Continuous Objectification which aims to turn a concept system into real things.

You can find more details in Aspects of Early Discovery (Series) and Beyond.