I was asked as a result of the last blog and Newsletter how Quantum Mechanics (https://safetyrisk.net/what-does-quantum-tell-safety/) affects risk and safety and, how to ‘operationalise’ a method accordingly.

At the heart of Quantum is uncertainty, paradox and ambiguity (https://www3.nd.edu/~jspeaks/courses/2007-8/20229/_HANDOUTS/quantum-mechanics.pdf; http://sites.science.oregonstate.edu/~stetza/ph407H/Quantum.pdf ). This means that all of the mythical so called ‘objective systems’ created in safety won’t work. Indeed, the tighter Safety tries to control safety systems and persons, the less likely that the system will work (Amalberti, Taleb)

Trying to take out uncertainty in a system only quashes adaptability, bricolage (Weick) and flexibility in the system and makes it more fragile. Every operation in a system has an equal by-product and trade-off in that system that often creates unconscious enactivity not realised till much later. Unfortunately, the tighter systems are controlled, the more dehumanising they become.

What is needed in risk and safety are methods that work in tackling risk that accommodate the reality of Quantum and Wickedity.

When we say something ‘works’ in SPoR, we mean that our methods function as best as possible considering ethics, personhood, humanising and risk (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/it-works-a-new-approach-to-risk-and-safety-book-for-free-download/).

If a system dehumanises persons then it obviously doesn’t ‘work’!

This is why all the claims by Zero that it works, are nonsense. When systems are determined by numerics, all that follows will dehumanise and harm persons. What ends up happening in the mythological world of Zero is, one can say anything that is not true with no evidence (https://visionzero.global/why-vision-zero) and then claim it works! There is no greater delusion in risk and safety than the ideology of zero (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/zero-the-great-safety-delusion/). Moreso, everything to do with Quantum Mechanics smashes the ludicrous idea of nothing, nothingness, certainty, zero and numerics.

The place to start in operationalising anything in safety is by accommodating ambiguity, uncertainty and paradox in methods. We need to realise that the larger systems are made, the less they can be comprehended by fallible humans. This was established by Herbert Simon many years ago as ‘bounded rationality’. Zero is based on the denial of fallibility which makes it ludicrous. Only Safety could invent an ideology to generate brutality and then call it ‘good’.

So, whatever methods one uses in safety, one needs a methodology that acknowledges all of the constraints placed on and in any system. A method is not a methodology (philosophy) but rather the operational outcome of a methodology. In the case of SPoR we have clearly articulated this:

All of these books are for free download.

 We also offer several free courses in SPoR and Due Diligence.

A wonderful book to help understand the need to operationalise the meaning of Quantum Mechanics is by Zohar and Morrow (1994) The Quantum Society, Mind, Physics, and a New Social Vision. (https://archive.org/details/quantumsocietymi0000zoha)

On the ground in organisations, SPoR always commences with understanding risk through Workspace, Headspace and Groupspace and in understanding that humans are embodied with One Brain but Three Minds (1B3M). These then combine into a visual-verbal system of engagement we call iCue Engagement™. This has been explained in many places (https://safetyrisk.net/icue-as-visual-verbal-risk-assessment-a-video/; https://safetyrisk.net/understanding-icue-a-visual-verbal-semiotic-method-for-tackling-risk/; https://safetyrisk.net/conversational-icue/). Everything about SPOR and iCue is practical, doable, positive and person-centric.

iCue™ is also supported by a range of other tools that assist this method in how it operates. These are all documented in the books listed above and are accompanied by extensive education and learning. SPoR operates an a complete curriculum (https://cllr.com.au/register-to-study/) that is well documented and delivered by experienced professionals across the globe.

It is also important when one engages in SPoR methods that one unlearns many of the myths generated by Safety=Zero. Despite all claims, mostly to make money, none of the paper-focused goop of traditional safety ‘works’. There is no measure of safety or risk.

 Similarly, there is no measure of safety performance despite all the propaganda spun by HOP. Indeed, the quest for safety performance is a mechanistic measurement quest similar as sponsored by Zero. Quantitative methods can never work when one has a focus on human relationships, Socialitie, trust, care and helping. This is also why Resilience Engineering is also nonsense language.

SPoR and iCue are being used and practiced in small and large organisations all over the globe.

The only performance SPoR is interested in is Semiotic and Poetic performance.

What does this look like on the ground and the coalface of work? iCue is a visual-verbal method for engagement. It has a focus away from Safety Management Systems that are primarily developed in an office and have little connection to in-situ work. The paperwork associated with common SMS don’t work (https://safetyrisk.net/paper-safe/; https://vimeo.com/162034157). Many of the traditional paper-systems are not useful in court.

To the untrained eye, iCue looks like people talking to each other or the facilitation of drawing circles and links on a surface like a whiteboard or paper. What is behind iCue is extensive education in listening and facilitation skills. These skills are not taught anywhere in the safety industry and are NOT part of any of the so called ‘new view’ or not-so-differently group. None of these groups have a clear articulated methodology or method.

The iCue method is messy, person-centric and focused on the power of the observer not the telling of the expert. The expertise that is needed in iCue is to surrender power and agenda to the person doing the work and by making their unconscious thinking – conscious. This is done through verbal and visual methods like visual mapping, open questioning, chasing ‘gifts’ and in-situ listening. iCue has to been seen and experienced rather than be tested by propositions that is common to safety thinking. iCue is like a mature understanding of culture, that cannot be explained propositionally.

iCue is not confined by binary thinking common to safety nor is it interested in any of the mythology generated by Behaviourism or Engineering.

This is why SPoR is not attractive to traditional safety (S1 or S2). SPoR is not interested in the mechanics of SMS, measurement or quanta, mostly because these don’t work. However, iCue and SPoR can easily benefit and complement many of the methods accepted in SMS.

You can see a demonstration of iCue here: https://safetyrisk.net/risk-icue-video-two-demonstration/

An iCue in Situ can look like this:

An iCue board can look like this:

Or this:

iCue is supported by extensive tools and methods all documented (https://www.humandymensions.com/shop/) and supported by manuals and videos that help learning over an extensive time (usually takes 3-12 months to become effective).

iCue is also supported by tools on: how to dialogue, the psychology of goals, the psychology of motivation and extensive skill development in personhood, ethics and helping skills (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/spor-and-semiotics/).

All of this is enmeshed in situ in operations.

When iCue becomes intuitive it is as seemless as a quick conversation or a quick meeting. This is because the method is owned by those doing the work, it is effective because it is visual-verbal, is flexible and accommodates ambiguity and messiness and, is owned by those operating the iCue process.

If you are interested in learning about SPoR and how to operationalise methods that tolerate ambiguity and paradox then, you can register for the 2 hour Introduction to SPoR being offered by Matt Thorne here:

The program will run on 6 August at the following times:

Matt lives in Adelaide Australia (UTC/GMT +9:30 hours) so these times need to be converted to your time.

7:00 am

2:00pm

6:00pm

If you want to join in just email Matt: matthew@riskdiversity.com.au