The map is not the territory

Their wordsA map is not the territory it represents, but, if correct, it has a similar structure to the territory, which accounts for its usefulness.

Their wordsThe territory never gets in at all. Always the process of representation will filter it out so that the mental world is only maps of maps of maps, ad infinitum.

Their wordsIf we reflect upon our languages, we find that at best they must be considered only as maps. A word is not the object it represents

Their wordsIn the world of high-stakes digital strategy, the “average user” is a dangerous statistical artifact.

Their wordsThere is no such thing as an average experience in the stock market until you’ve been investing for a very long time.

Their wordsGenerally, avoid averages for proxy metrics as they hide important nuances and variations in the data.

Their wordsas leaders we get so focused on value statement mission statements we forget the mission statement is not the mission. The map is not the territory. Mission is an emergent property of the living superorganism of the thing we're birthing.

Their wordsBut if you know anything about my obsession with selection bias, you can predict the outcome: when you expand access from a population that excludes more students to one that excludes fewer, you’re very likely to see declining performance.