Of efficiency and methodology

There are only too many articles and books which pertains to the discussion of efficiency and methodology. In book [1], the author believes that in terms of developing a production of software, the pragmatic method is to develop a good-enough version of software, and then to improve it while it is used by consumers. To put it in a general question, a good-enough method is also a satisfactory way to make the things run. In the Zhihu answer [2], when one individual would like to acquaint himself with a new knowledge area (e.g. purchasing money market funds), there are several ways: 1) use Internet search tool to know the basic knowledge. 2) consult an expert about the outline and important point (a good way is to search this question in zhihu.com or quora.com). 3) and then choose a learning path and learn it systematically. And, if possible, the good way is learning by doing. In book [3], Li asserts that one should directly practice the method given by a good teacher — assuming that this method proved to be good by double-blind experiments — and judge if this method is useful to him. In the textbook of Chinese high school philosophy, productive forces indicate relations of production (just treat the methodology as one of the relations of production). In article [4], Professor Luo thinks that one has to develop and improve his own methodology system, by logging, reflection and executing. However, on the other hand, book [5] insists that effectiveness is more important than efficiency, especially in the point of view of long-term period. This standing is similar to that saying: good decisions are more important than efforts. Another Zhihu answer too supports this view [6]; this answer argues that the rich people prefer to constrain (focus on their advantages and the rules of games), while the poor people prefer to optimize (improving efficiency is one of the optimization) — this conclusion is statistically true.

First and foremost, my current reliable solution (work flow) is:

1) search it on google or zhihu.com

2) choose a comparatively good solution

3) start the action.

This method works well in such area as learning clarinets, coding, etc. Why don't I choose a better clarinet teaching source? Because at that time, I don't have enough judgement to decide which one is better. Also, the benefits of spending more time on judging whether this method is better and on searching for and testing more methods are not as many as the benefits of using the current optimized solution and getting started.

There is a threshold of efficiency in one individual's specific stage. To put it another way, when the efficiency of a method (let's say, time management) approaching to a certain degree, the border effect occurs (the more time is invested, the slower growing speed is gained). Assure that you already reach the 70% of the efficiency score. If you want to increase the efficiency, besides the risk of time consumption, there is also the risk of decreasing the efficiency, for this method may not be suitable for you, or within a short time period, the harness ability of yours for it has not reached the point where the new method's efficiency outperforms the old method's efficiency. Therefore, if one has only 2 weeks to prepare for an exam, it is wiser to use the old exam preparation system to handle it. If a new term is forthcoming, then the new method that might prove to be satisfactory can be learned, tested and practiced.

Quoting Li's words: a good-enough method plus persistence, it can already help you handle the task in front of you [3]. For example, my friend Ximin Wang's supervisor, an eminent researcher, only uses the ".txt" files to manage the references in his research paper, while we spending lots of time on studying several kinds of references management tool — Endnote, Noteexpress, etc. A prestigious lawyer in Boston in 1970 managed to keep his compact to-do lists and agendas in order only by his notebook and pen, while there are still many present-day people who cannot control their time and their life even with the help of PC and cellphone (so, I believe it is good to be old-style, if the new tool does not outperform the old one. And whether a tool is useful depends on the wisdom of the user...)

Furthermore, there is a saying: productive forces indicate relations of production, and relations of production react with productive forces. The productive forces here can be treated as efficiency, and the relations of production can be treated as resources in one's environment (as we can see, the difference of resources at the platforms of Nanchang University, Chongqing University and Harvard University and the differences of the accessibility of sources when one is studying in an elementary school, in a high school and in an university.

I agree with Professor Luo's theory: one has to improve his own efficiency system (or methodology) by logging, reflection and refinement little by little, especially when a new method is introduced to his system [4].

Therefore, my current and satisfactory solution is: after spending the time which is bucketed beforehand on the learning of the methodology of a certain task, I start to do it via the good-enough method. When I am doing it, I improve and refine my own system little by little, according to my first-hand experience and the newly-gained better methodology. If the modification is small-scale, then I simply correct the old system and refine it. If the modification is large-scale, then I arrange a safe time to launch a revolution of the system. For instance, one of my big revolution of efficiency system is the electronization of my knowledge system [7]. I employ this method only after an important exam. In a nutshell, the key is learning by doing, and more importantly, improving by doing.

As a matter of fact, the topic of the efficiency of the methodology involves the ability of making good decisions, which involves the ability of searching and organizing information. For instance, to reproduce an experiment in a research paper, which one will you choose as the operating environment, an apple computer (Mackintosh) or a computer with Windows-based system? Then, which one will you use as the coding language, Matlab or Python? Still, use Tensorflow or Keras framework? These topics (the ability of making good decisions, the ability of searching and organizing information) will be discussed later in some specific articles.

[1] The Pragmatic Programmer

[2] zhihu.com. How to quickly get involved in a field?

[3] Treat time as a friend

[4] Zhaofeng Luo, professor, https://www.jianshu.com/p/fed82ce819c4

[5] How to get control of your time and your life

[6] zhihu.com and Douban article. What is the way the rich think?
https://www.douban.com/group/topic/23701205/

[7] Douglas C. Merrill, Getting Organized in the Google Era:
How to Get Stuff out of Your Head, Find It When You Need It, and Get It Done
Right [M].

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机器翻译：

效率和方法

关于效率和方法论的讨论只有太多的文章和书籍。在书[1]中，作者认为，在开发软件生产方面，实用的方法是开发一个足够好的软件版本，然后在消费者使用它的同时对其进行改进。把它放在一个普遍的问题中，一个足够好的方法也是让事情顺利进行的一种令人满意的方法。在知识回答[2]中，当一个人想要了解一个新的知识领域（例如购买货币市场基金）时，有几种方法：1）使用互联网搜索工具来了解基本知识。 2）咨询专家关于大纲和重点（一个好方法是在zhihu.com或quora.com上搜索这个问题）。 3）然后选择学习路径并系统地学习。而且，如果可能的话，好的方法就是边做边学。在书[3]中，李断言应该直接实践一位好老师给出的方法 - 假设这种方法通过双盲实验证明是好的 - 并判断这种方法对他有用。在中国高中哲学教科书中，生产力表明了生产关系（只是将方法论视为生产关系之一）。在文章[4]中，罗教授认为，必须通过记录，反思和执行来发展和完善自己的方法体系。然而，另一方面，书[5]坚持认为有效性比效率更重要，特别是从长期的角度来看。这种说法类似于那样的说法：好的决定比努力更重要。另一个智慧的回答也支持这种观点[6];这个答案认为富人喜欢约束（专注于他们的优势和游戏规则），而穷人更喜欢优化（提高效率是优化之一）
- 这个结论在统计上是正确的。

首先，我目前可靠的解决方案（工作流程）是：

1）在谷歌或zhihu.com上搜索

2）选择一个比较好的解决方案

3）开始行动。

这种方法在学习单簧管，编码等方面运作良好。为什么我不选择更好的单簧管教学源？因为在那个时候，我没有足够的判断来决定哪一个更好。此外，花费更多时间判断此方法是否更好以及搜索和测试更多方法的好处并不像使用当前优化的解决方案和入门一样多。

在一个人的特定阶段存在效率阈值。换句话说，当方法的效率（比如时间管理）接近一定程度时，边界效应就会发生（投入的时间越多，获得的增长速度就越慢）。确保您已达到效率得分的70％。如果你想提高效率，除了时间消耗的风险，还有降低效率的风险，因为这种方法可能不适合你，或者在很短的时间内，你的线束能力有它没有达到新方法的效率优于旧方法效率的程度。因此，如果一个人只有2周的时间准备考试，那么使用旧的考试准备系统来处理它是明智之举。如果即将出现一个新术语，那么可以学习，测试和实践可能证明令人满意的新方法。

引用李的话：一个足够好的方法加上持久性，它已经可以帮助你在你面前处理任务[3]。例如，我的朋友Ximin Wang的主管，一位杰出的研究员，只使用“.txt”文件管理他的研究论文中的参考文献，而我们花了很多时间研究几种参考管理工具--Endnote，Noteexpress等1970年在波士顿的一位着名律师设法保留了他的紧凑型待办事项清单和议程，只有他的笔记本和笔，而现在仍有许多人无法控制他们的时间和生活，即使在他们的帮助下也是如此。
PC和手机（所以，我认为如果新工具的性能不比旧工具好，那么老式是好的。工具是否有用取决于用户的智慧......）

此外，有一种说法：生产力表明生产关系，生产关系与生产力作出反应。这里的生产力可以被视为效率，生产关系可以被视为一个环境中的资源（我们可以看到，南昌大学，重庆大学和哈佛大学平台的资源的可获取性的差异）一个人在小学，高中和大学学习的来源。

我同意罗教授的理论：人们必须通过一点一点地记录，反思和改进来改进他自己的效率系统（或方法论），特别是当他的系统引入新方法时[4]。

因此，我目前和令人满意的解决方案是：在花费预先确定的时间学习某项任务的方法学之后，我开始通过足够好的方法来做到这一点。当我这样做时，根据我的第一手经验和新获得的更好的方法，我一点一点地改进和完善我自己的系统。如果修改是小规模的，那么我只需更正旧系统并对其进行优化。如果修改是大规模的，那么我安排一个安全的时间来启动系统的革命。例如，我对效率系统的一次重大革命就是我的知识系统的电子化[7]。我只在重要考试后才采用这种方法。简而言之，关键是边做边学，更重要的是，通过实践来改进。

事实上，方法效率的主题涉及做出正确决策的能力，这涉及搜索和组织信息的能力。例如，要在研究论文中重现一个实验，您将选择哪一个作为操作环境，苹果计算机（Mackintosh）或基于Windows系统的计算机？那么，您将使用哪一种编码语言，Matlab或Python？仍然，使用Tensorflow或Keras框架？这些主题（做出正确决策的能力，搜索和组织信息的能力）将在稍后的一些特定文章中讨论。

[1]务实的程序员

[2] zhihu.com。如何快速参与一个领域？

[3]把时间视为朋友

[4]罗兆峰，教授，https：//www.jianshu.com/p/fed82ce819c4

[5]如何控制你的时间和生活

[6] zhuhu.com和Douban文章。富人的想法是什么？

https://www.douban.com/group/topic/23701205/

[7] Douglas C. Merrill，在Google时代进行组织：如何从头脑中获取东西，在需要时找到它并完成它[M]。