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Fair Use & Attribution

This site references ideas, frameworks, and research from many authors and practitioners. Here's how we think about attribution and fair use.

What This Site Is

This is the second brain of Nerd/Noir, a consulting firm specializing in organizational design, product management, and team dynamics. The content represents our curated, opinionated synthesis of industry thinking, grounded in years of hands-on client work. We reference foundational works throughout because good consulting builds on the shoulders of great research; our value is in how we connect, adapt, and apply these ideas to real organizations.

How We Use Sources

  • We summarize and transform ideas in our own words, adding original commentary, practical examples, and connections to related concepts.
  • We attribute original authors on every page that references their work, both in the text and in structured metadata that powers the "Source" footer on each note.
  • We link to original works so readers can go deeper with the primary source material.
  • We do not reproduce full chapters, extended excerpts, or proprietary training curricula. Our workshop pages describe our own facilitation approach, not step-by-step reproductions of someone else's material.

Referenced Works

Every page that builds on an external work links to a dedicated source entry with full citation details. We encourage readers to purchase and read these originals.

Our Fair Use Position

We believe our use of these references constitutes fair use under U.S. copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 107). Our content is transformative: we synthesize ideas across multiple disciplines, add original analysis from our consulting practice, and connect concepts in ways the original works do not. This site complements the referenced works rather than substituting for them. We actively encourage clients and readers to purchase and study the originals.

Framework names, book titles, and associated terminology remain the intellectual property of their respective creators. Our use of these terms is for reference and commentary, not to imply endorsement or affiliation.

Contact

If you are a rights holder and have concerns about how your work is referenced on this site, please reach out. We take attribution seriously and will work with you to address any issues.