Learning a field from first principles

To learn a field from first principles, find the few problems it exists to solve. Then hang everything else off them, using an outside source so you see what you'd otherwise miss.

1. Find the problems that don't reduce further

Management, for example, is getting results through other people, under uncertainty, with limited resources. That breaks into seven problems: direction (what do we do?), people (who does it?), alignment (why would they want to, and can they?), coordination (how do the pieces fit?), information (how do we know it's working?), resources (where do money, time and attention go?) and self (how do you decide and keep going?).

2. Fill the map from outside your head

Take the topics under each problem from a published source: a syllabus, a standard textbook, or a subject classification such as the JEL classification system (American Economic Association). Your own list will only contain things you already know exist.

3. Diff your map against it

Write down what you know from memory first, then compare. Topics that are on the published map but not on yours are the unknown unknowns: words you couldn't have searched for.

4. Check the foundations under what you already do

If you learned by doing, you may use an idea without knowing what it rests on. Ask "why does this work, and when does it fail?" for the things you rely on most.