Observe Orient Decide Act O.O.D.A.

Ideas from Folgore Eugenio Pozzolini

Reproduction of text and images fromBoyd, John, Organic Design for Command and Control

Wikipedia.org.

Revised 13 August 2012

Decision makers gather information (observe), form hypothesis about customer’s activity and the intentions of competitors (orient), make decisions, and act on them.

The cycle is repeated continuously.

What is the basic ambiguity and thrust that determines the geniality of observation, collecting information , “stealing” from the guy next door the idea that will be a successful trip for me ?

In order to succeed & win, you must operate at a faster tempo or rythm than your opposite -- or, better yet, get inside his

Observation – Orientation – Decision - Action

time cycle or loop.

Such activity will make you appear ambiguous (therefore unpredictable) generating confusion and disorder among your opposite -- since he will be unable to generate mental images or pictures that agree with the menacing as well as faster transient rythm or patterns he is competing against.

The key is to “obscure” your intentions and make them unpredictable to your opposite while you simultaneously clarify his intentions.

That is, operate at a faster tempo to generate rapidly changing conditions that inhibit him from adapting or reacting to those changes and that suppress or nullify (destroy is a better word) his awareness.

Thus, a hodgepodge of confusion and disorder will occur to cause over- or under-reaction from your opposite, to conditions or activities that appear to be uncertain, ambiguous, or incomprehensible.

Extracted and adapted from an article by Harry Hillaker

The proper frame of mind is to let go a little, to allow some chaos to become part of your mental system, and to use it to your advantage by simply creating more chaos and confusion for your opposite.

You will funnel inevitable chaos in the in the direction of the opposite.

Adapated from an article by Robert Greene , OODA and You

Getting inside your opposite's OODA loop

On a rugby field , you have possession of the oval ball and must get past an opponent who is taller and faster.

A straight dribble or pass is unlikely to succeed.

Instead you can engage in a rapid and elaborate series of body movements designed to confuse the opponent and deny him the

ability to take advantage of his superior size or speed.

This may be merely a series of fakes, with the hope that your opponent will make a mistake or an opening will occur, therefore

trying to put him off balance.

Practice and mental focus may allow you to reduce the time scale, get inside your opponent's OODA loop, and take control of

the situation - forcing him to move in a particular way, and generate an advantage for you rather than merely reacting to an event.

Back to basics (see slide two)

The same cycle operates over a longer timescale in a competitive business scenario, and the same logic applies.

Decision makers gather information (observe), form hypothesis about customer’s activity and the intentions of competitors (orient), make decisions, and act on them.

The cycle is repeated continuously.

The determined and conscious application of the process gives a business advantage over a competitor who is merely reacting to conditions as they occur, or has poor awareness of the situation.