Good morning @technoguy!
I just woke up to grab some water and realised I had not replied to your second question on Triangulation.
Triangulation originates from the field the field of navigation where a location is determined by using the angles from two known points. In research, it is a methodology which uses multiple methods to researching a question. The objective is to increase confidence in the findings through the confirmation of a proposition using two or more independent measures. The combination of findings from two or more rigorous approaches provides a more comprehensive picture of the results than either approach could do alone. I have found it useful in going down a learning curve in understanding a subject of research very quickly, and it is helpful for removing biases that can arise from using a single methodology.
For example (this is the way I have used it here)- just using discord and talking to people. In my professional experience, people sound sweet but can lead you down the proverbial garden path very quickly. What they say needs to be validated by what they are doing- this can be done by looking at their transaction histories and who they interact with (and keeping records of this). You can eventually map these out to filter noise make connections and get a clearer picture. This could be considered primary research.
You can then compare this to secondary research that you have gathered- such as Steemit, Reddit opinion posts. How to posts created by other Steemian's and outside agencies about Steemit.
There are also many +ves and deltas out there about Steemit which need to be validated before you commit to this platform and build relationships (which are sacrosanct). And everything has a cost I am sure you will agree as you know from having run a business for over 7 years- and this has been drilled into me since started as a junior management consultant (which was almost 20 years ago). This methodology allows you to remove your own and other people's biases as much as possible, check whether your findings make sense and that you not only build relationships- but understand the rules of the game in relationship building in any eco-system.
I realise this post may not have sat well with everyone for many reasons (you can see it gets greyed out). It is unusual that I have not used bots to increase my number of votes- but I did do something to test a theory out, and something bizarre happened which I will need to discuss with the developers. (I always take before and after screenshots and maintain rigorous notes of everything).
You are right from your comment in this and another post below. Relationships are the most critical thing in any setting. I don't give away a lot about my background- but here is something- I come from a family of individuals who went into the medical profession (everyone!). If I fell over at a family gathering, I am comfortable in the knowledge that someone would have the expertise to help me out! Empathy is built into me as a result of being around people who care professionally, and this is why I care a great deal about helping others.
Both my parents are Medical Doctors, and my Father, in particular, chose Psychiatry as his field to practice in. People always see Psychiatrists as prescribing medications and getting it over with (in the UK at least). But my Father is old school and took a holistic approach to treating the patient as an individual and examined what they needed including the psychology and fitness parts (mind, body and spirit if you will) which is unusual in the UK.
I benefitted a great deal from his discussions since I was a kid and learning about human behaviour from the books I read backed up with his sage advice got me to where I am today.
Relationship building is essential, yes, but you need to understand your environment first, draw out the bad actors early on by using your ‘toolkit’, examine the playing field and then see how best to start this process.
Regards and catch up soon,
@shenobie