Endeavor, solace and preparation in the fog

OK, it sounds like a fixation on AJATT but it's rather an inspiration. I am jealous of this center of endeavor, not what I see as a community, in the sense that AJATT is not built on top of a social network platform, but it stands rather like a tree with fruits where bats gather for a rest, a bite and solace. That's the proper image indeed, a tree, a baobab.

A redundant affair, the matter of strategic, ultra-focused preparation for over-the-phone interpretation with scarce contextual data and scarce time. It happens again and again, and very often on subjects I have never covered so far. It comes in three words : solar energy in Japan, or in a short sentence, the present and future of wind energy in Japan. Besides that, go figures. Indeed, where to start with, where to go without downloading gazillions of articles?

First, retrieve a possible glossary online.

Second, think a little about the framework. What could be the focus? Who will be the people? What kind of discussion? Scientific or business? More of this? More of that? If business, chances are few technical discussions will pop-up. Now that's where you get aware that the glossary is choked full with technical stuff. Don't scrape it but don't look for more academic papers.

Next, jump into Wikipedia and locate the chapters that are focused on economics, country regulations, programs, incentives and the like.

Next, go to Google News in both languages and scan the business buzz but keep an eye too on things like "university so and so in Japan has announced the development of a new something". Think global, not only what they are doing in Japan but also what Japanese firms are doing abroad, of foreign firms doing here.

Also probe for some research report advertising. They usually give away the index for free and when you find a bilingual version, you get a bunch of keywords and hints big like elephants about what the people in the industry care.

Ok. This post sounds arrogant as if I have mastered my subject but such is not the case. Do they teach you Resourcefulness in interpreting schools, or is it something you acquire on the job? I never went to a school so I don't know.