Seattle Method

Epistemology is the study of the nature and sources of knowledge ; how we know what we think we know.  In business, there is the notion of "due diligence".  You would not sign a contract without performing adequate due diligence. Epistemology is similar to doing that same due diligence on your own thoughts and data to understand what you know and why you know it. Epistemology is a layer which governs how we distinguish between raw inputs (data), structured meaning (information), and trusted actionable knowledge. Imagine "data", "information", and "knowledge" in terms of building a house. Bricks, 2 by 4s, cement, rebar; that is the level of "data".  The raw materials used to build a house. "Unprocessed". Walls, doors,  windows,  roof, floor; that is the level of "information". Information is like the bricks, 2 by 4s, and cement arranged into the structures that make up the house. "Processed bricks,  2 by 4s, and...

A financial reporting scheme is a purposeful arrangement of financial line items, totals, subtotals, aggregations, disaggregations, structures, metadata, categorization, classification, assertions, restrictions, constraints, other conditions, etc. A financial reporting scheme represented in a digital format should not be semantically impoverished. Leaving information out, consciously or unconsciously, is not desirable. These reference reporting frameworks provide the minimum of what is necessary. They are modest, not impoverished, yet not as secure as they actually need to be. The following are a set of reference reporting frameworks (a.k.a. reporting schemes, knowledge regimes) which helps those interested in understanding how to create an industrial strength reporting scheme using the Seattle Method to do so. Included with each reporting framework is a reference report which tests the entire reporting framework and a number of reports which helps one understand the notion of reportin...

Governance is about the framework for decision making and collaborative action which formally specifies how a group of stakeholders organizes themselves and makes decisions and otherwise collaborates within some specific system or context to get things done and/or to achieve some common goal or objective. Governance is the system of rules, roles, processes, and relationships that guide how the group of stakeholders operate. Governance is the meta‑layer that, at it's core, ensures: Accountability : Who is responsible. It establishes who decides what. Performance. Procedures : How are decisions made. It establishes protocols. Controls. Process. Authority : Who is allowed. It ensures people are following the rules. Permissions. Alignment : Are we following our defined purpose. It checks to determine whether the group is on track. Predictability. Safety. Transparency. Openness. Integrity. Effectiveness. Collaboration. Assurance : Are we doing what we said we would do. Auditability. Tr...