Meta-Modeling

Category: Thinking / Modeling

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These are frames that I can use for generating and improving models of systems or topics. There are plenty of examples in Modeled Systems.

1. Model - Technique framing - take techniques that work, and let the model be what must be true of the system for that technique to work. Then generate more techniques from that understanding.
2. Inverse Abstraction (Deconstruction, or Instantiation) - Break into component pieces, in multiple directions
   1. Ex. Machine learning becomes Linear Algebra + Calculus + Probability Theory + Computer Science, which break into their own subregions
   2. Ex. Scientific Field becomes Major Papers + Categories of the topic + Conferences + Major Researchers + Quality Sites
3. Simplify Recursively
4. First Principles - Ask what the underlying goal is for a space, and for what solutions would serve that goal. For each solution, think of the components necessary to make that solution happen.
5. List - Create a list of examples of the item being modeled.
   1. Idea list technique - set 10m timer, write down 10 creative ideas in a given domain in time given.
6. Problem - Solution Framing - List important problems in / with the domain. For each problem, suggest a solution. Then criticise the solutions.
7. Abstraction - get a list of examples of the thing being modeled, and look at what’s similar behind those many examples
8. Book - To construct a model from a book, skim through the book and write down every idea that appears multiple times.
   1. Also works across a set of videos
   2. Also works across a set of academic papers
9. Book - take the hierarchy from the table of contents
10. Take 3-4 books / papers with quality models, and look to find overlap and compress them.
11. People Based Framings
12. Visionaries / Leaders / Creators in a domain and their models for the space
13. Characteristics of the people who spend time with the domain and what that says about how it’s been conceived
14. Relationships between people
15. Organization Based Framings
16. Major organizations in a space, their road to prominence, their model of the domain and plans for action and progress
17. Problem Solving - cut out all the skills / resources necessary to solve problems in a space. Then break down the components that make up those skills or resources, and systematically identify failure modes for problem solving in that space.
18. Questions: Identify a question or set of questions which are of critical importance. In the process of answering your question, a model of the space, the other questions of interest, and the types of answers that are fulfilling emerge.

Extension of working Model

1. Internal - External [Extends Model-Technique Framing] For a model of a personal process, create a model for what’s happening and then generalize to group, or generalize the technique directly.
2. Synthesis - Take 3-4 models built by other people (often in the form of the above, or in the form of books, or an online course). Then compare them side by side and compress them into a single strong model.
3. Recursive Extension - Take a model, and create a model of each subcomponent of the model.
   1. Ex. For a list, take each listed item and create a model of it.

Source: Original Google Doc