TimeLines :

The next grid11.txt dealt with my desire to identify a suitable way in which Ingrid can be marketed. It should be pointed out that while I have no formal marketing qualifications and though a marketing expert may confer with me or not it was my "gut feel" which I wanted to express with this experiment.

Grid11.txt Plot of Component 1 & 2

Grid11-3.txt Input Data

ELEMENT DEFINITIONS:

DiMail : Direct Mail NwsAD : Newspaper Media advertising D-Door : Door to door selling Seminr : Seminars MedaED : Media Editorial TestMK : Test Marketing TrdPub : Trade Publications Refrls : Referrals CompSH : Computer Shops ShareW : Shareware

CONSTRUCT DEFINITIONS:

PreWrk : Preliminary work required ElyGns : Early gains (Market penetration) LteGns : Late gains (Market penetration) Cost : Cost per deal ElyRsk : Early risk LteRsk : Late risk People : Need for people ElyGP$ : Early Profit LteGP$ : Late Profit BestIN : Best Introduction EsCntl : Ease of Control

This grid was extraordinary because I could not easily identify what it was saying. A bit of lateral thinking pointed me in the direction of seeing a clock. Because some of the constructs were "time" related, the "picture" wasn't saying which elements were good and which elements were bad, it was "sorting" the "time" lines into order.

My final interpretation was:

The "clock" starts at 6 O'clock with Media Editorial supporting the new marketing venture and proceeds in a clockwise direction laying out a step by step plan from Media Editorial to Test Marketing to Shareware to Referrals to Trade Publications to Door to door selling to Seminars to Computer Shops to Direct Mail to reach Media Advertising as being the approach needed for a mature market.

I have used this example to show that the interpretation of a grid changes with the type of grid ( View, Decision, Planning, Forecast, Intrapersonal, Mapping, Conflict, etc.). With experience you will find that the implied meanings in the constructs will point you in the best direction for a valid topographical interpretation.


Continuing the exploration of time based Grids, I came across the grid0507.txt data in the April issue of the New Zealand Accountants Journal. It deals with the changing makeup of investment portfolios of Life Insurance companies in NZ over the last four years. The data is expressed as percentages.

Grid0507.txt Plot of Components 1 & 2

GovSec : Government securities LocSec : Local Authority securities Shares : Company Stocks and Shares Debent : Company Debentures and Notes O'seas : Overseas Loans and Investments Propty : Property Mortgs : Mortgages (source Reserve Bank, Dec. 1986)

Here we see a clock running (by implication) in an anti-clockwise direction. If no other factors are present it is not difficult to predict were 1987 would come. Caution: I have seen these time lines "fold" back on themselves. A three dimensional picture with hidden lines sometimes shows a sigmoidal third dimension.
 

Contact j.Maxwell LEGG

mailto: income@ihug.co.nz