Thinking in Time

In this episode, we provide greater color on the practical application of mental models. In personal protection terms, how it can affect your ability to prevail in a violent encounter. Remember, mental models, are comprised of your Individual Experiences, Cultural Experiences, and Institutional/organizational experiences.

Mental models, like Boyd's Orientation, are informed by who we are. Mental models are comprised of our individual experiences, institutional/organizational experiences, and cultural experiences. Mental models gain sophistication and complexity as we acquire expertise. These are the two defining characteristics of an experts mental models.

The OODA loop is commonly cited as a way to beat an adversary or opponent. From the military to business, completing your OODA loop faster than your adversary is cited as a path to victory. Further, Observation is cited as the key to beginning the OODA loop process and Orientation is defined as orienting towards the critical element identified during observation. This is bullshit. And I'm going to tell you why. Don't just take my word, I will use John Boyd's, creator of the OODA loops own words to destroy this gross misrepresentation.

First, Observation is NOT the first part of the loop. In fact, Boyd himself states:

"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." [Source:  The Essence of Winning and Losing, John Boyd]

In the first episode, we establish a working definition of Judgment and explain the three types of judgment.

We use the process of analytical discovery of how to match up an understanding of facts, assessment of their relative importance, and creative thought about what to do.