Observe and Interact

For the past few years I've been mildly obsessed with the Permaculture Design Principles and their potential application to everything, but particularly my work in an academic library.

There are essentially two sets of Permaculture Design Principles. The most famous is the set of 12 by Davild Holmgren. Well, 12 design principles and three overarching general ethics:

Big Picture Stuff:

• Earth Care (take care of the planet and the natural resources)
• People Care (take care of each other)
• Fair Share (don't take more than you need, and give back where and when you can).

The 12 Holmgren Design Principles:

1. Observe and Interact
2. Catch and Store Energy
3. Obtain a Yield
4. Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback
5. Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services
6. Produce No Waste
7. Design from Patterns to Details
8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate
9. Use Small and Slow Solutions
10. Use and Value Diversity
11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal
12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change

Then there's also the set developed by Bill Mollison, which has a lot of conceptual cross-over with Holmgren's set, but are much more practical focused and less broad-principle-y. I'll no doubt rabbit on more about his principles later. Just between you and me, one of these days I'm going to write a dang book about applying permaculture principles to the office, libraries and education.

And I'll no doubt rabbit on about Holmgren's set in more detail at some point as well, but right now I want to look at that first one:

Observe and Interact.

There's a reason why it's the first principle, and I really would like to see it catch on in the wider world as The First Principle.

The First Principle – the thing you do before you do anything – is remember to Observe and Interact.

Come in to any given situation with a spirit of curious and open observation. Look at what the situation actually is and give yourself time to really think about it, then interact intentionally with the things you have observed.

Look at the patterns, the flows, the way things interact with each other and depend upon or act against each other. Know what it is that you are sticking your nose into.

It's the essence of Evidence Based Practice, but it's less intimidating, I think. EBP carries with it a concept of surveys and measures (which all have their place), but Observe and Interact seems much more immediate and down-to-earth.

And then, when you are interacting with the situation that you have observed, continue to observe and interact!

It's like the Noble Eightfold Path – you shouldn't mistake any of the principles as a "one and done" step that you then move away from, but regard all of the principles (as all aspects of the Path) as something you keep doing simultaneously as you travel along.

You should constantly be Observing and Interacting. Constantly noticing how the patterns, flows and dynamics set and change, and what effect your interactions are having on the situation.

This is so very important to get out of the ridiculous mindset that once you've chosen a course of action you have to stick with it until it magically starts working. No. You keep observing, and you keep interacting. And this may mean you change from your original plan to something else – and that's fine.

In the comparison with the Noble Eightfold Path, Observe and Interact is essentially the equivalent of Right View* – you have to see things clearly in order to follow any of the other principles effectively. In fact, if you Observe and Interact, many of the other principles will come naturally (just like if you have Right Views, the other practices will come along naturally).

Without that clear view of what's happening and why, you're just stumbling around hoping for the best.

I find myself, these days, regularly railing against people making sweeping decisions without first observing and interacting. 

If you do nothing else – if you remember nothing else – try to remember The First Principle: Observe and Interact. It can only make things better.

*Just a flashback to Zen Master Raven by Robert Aitken:

Owl said, “What are Right Views?”

Brown Bear said, “We’re in it together, and we don’t have much time.”