Simple Solutions to Complex Problems

Hi All;

Something Carl said in the CYA and Bromine thread triggered some thoughts I've been mulling over. He indicated we need an organized and simple 'message' to give new users and pool owners so they aren't buried alive in info and confusion.

In recent conversations with Richard (Chem Geek), I've noted that when I started PoolSolutions, I knew what worked on MY pools, and I was pretty sure that some of those patterns were universal . . . but I wasn't completely sure. That's one reason that PoolSolutions was organized around "tips" rather than a recipe: I had tips; I didn't have recipe.

10 years of PoolSolutions + PoolForum left me sure that my "tips" were right. Thousands of pool owners had confirmed them. But there were lots of loose ends still dangling. And, every time I tried to write a comprehensive recipe, I would trip myself up with one of those loose ends.

I had the basic ideas, and I had practical confirmation that those ideas worked for others, but I was lacking a comprehensive analysis of what was happening in pools.

In the 4 years I've been away, Richard has gone a very long way toward providing this analysis.

But, two things are missing, still.

First, there is almost no published careful experimental confirmation of Richard's work and my ideas. There's lots of PRACTICAL confirmation, but nothing that will convince the code-writers and label makers of our world. Richard and I are working on an idea about how this lack might be addressed.

Second, there's no simple recipe. And folks need one. I think I am, and we are, ready to produce that. But I think it will have to be a layered approach.

A: folks need a simple recipe that will keep them and their pool reasonably safe and clear and blue while they gradually learn more.

B: folks need to customize that recipe for their pool and their location.

C: as they gain experience, folks need to optimize that recipe for their pool and their lives.

D: folks need a reference guide to solving problems when something goes wrong.

I'm becoming convinced that we not only need to develop that recipe, but we need to 'train' new PF members to use it, as they answer even newer PF member's questions.

BioGuard has gotten something right I think, with their simple color coded approach to chemistry. Their organizational efforts are impressive, even if the information they've chosen to organize is not so impressive.

I'd be interested in your reactions and ideas about this.

Ben

Ben,

As for me, you must know you are preachin' to the choir. :rolleyes:

You've extended and refined exactly what I said: A simple approach with simple ways to determine alternative issues and paths to take.

Carl

KISS has become my motto of pool care, especially after Modding on another board that often got caught up, IMHO, on details and ignored the big picture too too often.

From my experience of working in the retail end of the business and holding a lot of peoples hands while they learned to care for their pool (usually with liquid chlorine or a SWG) I also learned that concentrating on one thing at a time and not overwhelming pool owners is the best way to teach them proper pool care.

For example, if the pH is dangerously low for a vinyl pool deal with that BEFORE you worry about getting rid of the green swamp or if the CYA is through the roof deal with with that before you start throwing out saturation index numbers at the poor pool owner! (Don't get me started on SI!)

Just my uneducated 2 cents!