The document discusses the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop, which is a model for decision making developed by military strategist John Boyd. It involves observing a situation, orienting oneself, making a decision, and taking action, then observing the results and repeating the process. The document provides examples of how the OODA loop applies to systems like thermostats, product development, and military strategy. It also discusses how organizations can get inside an opponent's decision cycle by pushing decision making down hierarchies and moving faster through the OODA loop.

1. The OODA Loop
Dave Kammeyer
Future Tensing

2. You've got to have models in
your head. And you've got to
array your experience, both
vicarious and direct, on this
latticework of models.
“
”Charlie Munger, Elementary Worldly Wisdom

5. Feedback Control
(Closed Loop)
A system that takes an action,
observes the result, and adjusts
based on the result.

6. Non-Feedback Control
(Open Loop)
A system that takes actions, but can’t
measure the result.
!
Decisions must be right the first time.

7. Open Loop
500m Accuracy

8. Closed Loop
3m Accuracy,
Moving Target

10. Example: Thermostat

11. Example: Thermostat
Observe What Temperature Is It?
Orient
Decide
Act

12. Example: Thermostat
Observe What Temperature Is It?
Orient
Where is the Temperature relative to
the Set Point?
Decide
Act

13. Example: Thermostat
Observe What Temperature Is It?
Orient
Where is the Temperature relative to
the Set Point?
Decide
Would Turning on the Furnace get me
closer to the Set Point?
Act

14. Example: Thermostat
Observe What Temperature Is It?
Orient
Where is the Temperature relative to
the Set Point?
Decide
Would Turning on the Furnace get me
closer to the Set Point?
Act Turn on the Furnace.

16. Observe

17. Orient

18. Decide

19. Act

20. The Need For Speed

21. OODA in Hierarchical
Organizations

22. Maneuver Warfare: Push
Down Decision Making
to Get Inside
Opponent’s OODA Loop

23. Example: Product Development

24. Example: Product Development
Observe
What is Currently in the Market/What
Problems are Customers Having?
Orient
Decide
Act

25. Example: Product Development
Observe
What is Currently in the Market/What
Problems are Customers Having?
Orient
What Products Could Meet Unmet
Needs, What are our Capabilities,
What can be Marketed/Sold?
Decide
Act

26. Example: Product Development
Observe
What is Currently in the Market/What
Problems are Customers Having?
Orient
What Products Could Meet Unmet
Needs, What are our Capabilities,
What can be Marketed/Sold?
Decide
What can we build that generates the
most value with the least cost?
Act

27. Example: Product Development
Observe
What is Currently in the Market/What
Problems are Customers Having?
Orient
What Products Could Meet Unmet
Needs, What are our Capabilities,
What can be Marketed/Sold?
Decide
What can we build that generates the
most value with the least cost?
Act
Build the Product, Release it into the
Market

28. Lean Startup
= Fast OODA Loop

29. Apple vs Google

30. Google:
Try 41 Shades of Blue

31. Apple: Polish the
Diamond

32. Faster vs Slower

33. Faster Slower
Ability to Make a Quick
Change/Prototype
Low Ability to Make a
Quick Change/Prototype
!

34. Faster Slower
Ability to Make a Quick
Change/Prototype
Low Ability to Make a
Quick Change/Prototype
Good Customer
Understanding
Poor Customer
Understanding

35. Faster Slower
Ability to Make a Quick
Change/Prototype
Low Ability to Make a
Quick Change/Prototype
Good Customer
Understanding
Poor Customer
Understanding
More Derivative, Clear
Improvements
Less Derivitave, Have to
Make Bigger Conceptual
Jumps

36. Enjoy Your New Tool!