tempo, maneuverability, and initiative
TRANSCRIPT
Tempo, Maneuverability, InitiativeMichael T. Nygard - Cognitect
Michael T. Nygard
✤ Developer
✤ Operator
✤ Systems Thinker
✤ Author
@mtnygardwww.michaelnygard.com
A Story of Despair and Hope
“Web Site”
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When in doubt,
When in doubt,
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...
Tight feedback loop
Maneuverability
John Boyd
✤ Fighter pilot
✤ Air combat instructor
✤ Military theorist
Kinetic to potential
Kinetic to potentialPotential to kinetic
Energy-Maneuverability (EM)
Energy-Maneuverability (EM)
Kinetic ⟷ Potential
Energy-Maneuverability (EM)
Kinetic ⟷ Potential
Gain and Shed Momentum
Energy-Maneuverability (EM)
Kinetic ⟷ Potential
Gain and Shed Momentum
Rapidly Change Maneuvers
Control tempo
Take initiative
Send ambiguous signals
Maneuver Warfare
Note how orientation shapes observation, shapes decision, shapes action, and in turn is shaped by the feedback and other phenomena coming into our sensing or observing window.
Also note how the entire �loop� (not just orientation) is an ongoing many-sided implicit cross-referencing process of projection, empathy, correlation, and rejection.
From �The Essence of Winning and Losing,� John R. Boyd, January 1996.
Feed Forward
Observations Decision (Hypothesis)
Action (Test)
Cultural Traditions
Genetic Heritage
New Information Previous
Experience
Analyses & Synthesis Feed
Forward Feed
Forward
Implicit Guidance & Control
Implicit Guidance & Control
Unfolding Interaction
With Environment Unfolding
Interaction With
Environment Feedback
Feedback
Outside Information
Unfolding Circumstances
Observe Orient Decide Act
Defense and the National Interest, http://www.d-n-i.net, 2006
Self-organized Criticality
Avalanche Models
Catastrophe Manifolds
Earthquake Distributions
Non-linear, but also
undirected
How to cause nonlinear response
in a direction we like?
Lessons From Maneuver Warfare
Apply Disposability
✤ Infrastructure
✤ Code
✤ Dependencies
Apply Disposability
✤ Infrastructure
✤ Code
✤ Dependencies
✤ Teams?
Set the tempo
Obscure your ultimate objective
Defer commitment
Tempo
Control tempo
Take initiative
Send ambiguous signals
“From now on, I control the tempo.”
Tempo is emergent.
Execution at all Levels
Horizontal and Vertical Integrity
Team Scale
✤ Devops✤ Safety through tools✤ Agile development✤ Integrated value chain
Group Scale
✤ Bounded context✤ Ubiquitous language✤ Product teams✤ Intent
Org Scale
✤ Discoverability✤ Temporary Assignments
Vertical Integration: Intent
Operations Order - SMEAC
✤Situation✤Mission✤Execution✤Administration (or Sustainment)✤Command
Initiative
Sente
✤ Amazon creates AWS
✤ Takes sente versus hosting providers
Sente
✤ Uber enters Thailand, undercuts tuk-tuks and cabs (sente)
✤ Taxi drivers in Thailand convince gov’t to ban Uber (gote, seizing sente)
Not Sente
✤ Uber in London. (sente)
✤ Black cab drivers protest, disrupt traffic.
✤ Not sente!
✤ Uber not compelled to respond.
Combine Initiative (sente) + Tempo
✤ Take initiative
✤ Keep pressing advantage
✤ Advance faster than opponent can catch up
Tempo, Maneuverability, Initiative
