Acquiring data

1. Everyone and everything has to be someplace, doing something during process: track their actions
2. Force yourself to think "who or what did what when" during process
3. Look for the actor + action in observations of source data.
4. Give each actor a name and always use only that name thereafter
5. Give priority to tracking the change makers (who or what changed next state)
6. Be alert for physical, mental, sensory or "programmer" actions
7. Break down (decompose) actors or actions to clarify what happened
8. Let data, not experience, drive search for next data.
9. Observe the "Do no harm" rule with witnesses and objects
10. Get permissions before recording witness interviews
11. Actions change conditions: read conditions to find actions
12. Quantify actions wherever possible
13. Build your mental movie frame by frame
14. Get "dids" instead of "did nots"

Building Event Building Blocks

1. Transform observed data into actor + action format in EBs
2. Always record Actor first, then action
3. Use once specific and unique name for each actor
4. NEVER ever put two actors or actions into an EB
5. Use ? as placeholders until you get needed data
6. Use glossary for actor and source entries if possible
7. Avoid poison words like
1. pronouns - she, he, they
2. plural nouns - crew, group, squad
3. passive voice- was, were,
4. conjunctions - and, or, but,
5. ambiguous terms, jargon, acronyms
8. Avoid judgmental or opinion words
1. inadequate, poorly, faulty - see note A
2. did not (implies error,masks process)
3. failed to or violated (acusatory,)
4. the cause (ambiguous abstraction)
5. root cause (subjective abstraction)
9. Enter a source for every EB
10. Keep your experience out of EBs
11. Confirm only observed times: do not confirm estimates

Building matrixes

1. Position each new EB on its own actor line its in spatial/temporal sequence
2. Compare sequence against all previous entries on matrix
3. Start building mental movie (MM) of what happened as you add EBs
4. Focus data gathering on gaps (missing data) in your MM

Linking EBs

1. Let logic define links: do not assume or guess
2. Confirm tentative links with data if possible; otherwise let them be
3. Strive for black arrowheads

Sources

1. Cite only sources that can be retrieved or accessed or reproduced
2. Cross-reference any codes used to identify sources
3. Show more than one source for EB if available
4. Maintain chain of custody for all source objects, documents and media used

Matrixes

1. Review logic flow of EBs on matrix when completed
2. Have disinterested thrid party review completed matrix for logic flow
3. Verify accessibility of all sources cited
4. Explain reason for all remaining ? and gaps (uncertainties)
5. Remove extraneous EBs and comments to complete matrix
6. Sign matrix if required.

Recommendations

1. Examine every EB pair and set, and their links on the finished matrix for options
2. State pros and cons for making changes proposed
3. Define how success of change will be recognized
4. Tie all recommendations to an EB pair, link or EB set.
5. Don't ask anyone to do something you would not want to do yourself
6. Check carefully for hidden assumptions
7. Check for unjustified conclusions or arguments
8. Create a list of the lessons learned by the investigation

Test Plans

1. Whoever Owns the Ball Calls the Game. (If its your money, you are in charge!)
2. NO PLAN, NO TESTS! (one of the basic commandments for Investigation, especially if you own what is to be tested!)
3. DO NO HARM rule. Don't destroy it before you get the data it holds
4. Keep Test(s) Relevant. (Get event building blocks)
5. Scale the Plan to the Value of the Data it Will Produce. (Are EBs worth cost?)
6. Progressive destruction demands priorities befofre proceding