Harry Van Der Velde

Dutch HarryVanDerVelde is not native to the pattern community. But he likes the free minds that roam here. He also feels that in places like this wiki, innovation thrives, because the creativity can feast on the free flow of information. Patterns are the result of the rules that express the laws of nature. Programming computers is finding the fitting and fittest algorithms to produce effective artificial behaviour. As long as any profession is more of an art then a science the discriptions of the patterns and rules constituting this profession are not explicite enough.

Harry runs a small business in Utrecht. http://www.zicht.com (zicht is Dutch for sight) It makes infographics about organizational issues. It developes insight for its customers bij producing images that reflect their situation from a refreshing point of view. He combines his analytical and graphic skills to make things professionally clear. Specifically, abstract and /or complex situations and organizations.

His trick is to draw any given situation of problem. A sound concept can be represented by a clear picture of it, as it is a mental image by its nature. So drawing any situation quickly reveals its flaws; they stay blurred and impossible to represent. The blank spots become visible. On the job, his role follows the description of ChiefArchitect.

He is a visual, multi-dimensional thinker, somewhat like dyslexic people are. He tries to understand what (his) life is about. Likes to visualize the ultimate way things should work. Learned the impossibility of his quest, but stays happily hooked on it. Likes DefinitionOfLife for that reason.

Harry thinks the invention of wiki means a next great leap forward. It makes sharing of data a truly democratic process. He really loves the concept. He promotes the use of wiki as an eveyday tool in coöperation.

Expressing any thought freely is the major contribution of the wiki concept. Collaboration could be the next step. Thermodynamics seem to define the rules for patterns and their evolution. Their are generally two ways a hot topic cools down:

It has found its perfect position in relation to other established patterns. From that point not even the most energetic attack can move it. (Until a major paradigm shift.)
It is forgotten. This can be due to inadequate (survival) quality or due to lack of the needed attention (=energy). Also great ideas are missed this way...

It might be interesting to visualize the vividness of a topic. A first step this direction is already taken: http://herring.cc.gatech.edu:8080/2cool/2923

His lack of easily expressing his thoughts in PlainEnglish makes contributing a real effort. http://www.harryvandervelde.nl

Wiener (1948) says that information is formally equivalent to negative entropy.

Its has been a while since I visited myself here. For a brief moment I feared I was deleted by some gnome... --Harry on 2007-10-10

After a hard time riding the rollercoaster of life I am back. For what I hope will be the next part of my life. ;-) 55 now and full of plans. Next week (oct 2008) I will attend Vizthink Berlin [[http://www.zicht.com/vizthink]]. See what that brings.

For a moment I feared a gnome wiped me out. But thank God I am still alive her. This is the only english description of what I do... At IMD they asked for it today.

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