OODA loop: Difference between revisions

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:—''Airplane!'' (1980)<ref>Oh, go on: <br><youtube width="200" height="120" >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0X0ZYbnHxA</youtube></ref>}}In a situation of direct, bilateral conflict — dogfighting, Chess, test cricket, [[Brexit|in/out referendums on membership of the European Union]], an OODA loop is a combatant’s [[Decision-making|decision]] cycle: “observe, orient, decide, act”: the idea being you need to take in what is happening (''observe''), synthesise a theory of what the oppo is up to (''orient''),<ref>“Orient” doesn’t seem as good a word to me as “synthesise”, especially as that would have made the acronym “OSDA”, which all [[ninja]]s will find pleasing.</ref> figure out what to do (''decide'') and then do it (''act'') ''before'' the other side gets through its own process of doing exactly that, and changes tack, spoiling your clever plan.  
:—''Airplane!'' (1980)<ref>Oh, go on: <br><youtube width="200" height="120" >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0X0ZYbnHxA</youtube></ref>}}In a situation of direct, bilateral conflict — dogfighting, Chess, test cricket, [[Brexit|in/out referendums on membership of the European Union]], an OODA loop is a combatant’s [[Decision-making|decision]] cycle: “observe, orient, decide, act”: the idea being you need to take in what is happening (''observe''), synthesise a theory of what the oppo is up to (''orient''),<ref>“Orient” doesn’t seem as good a word to me as “synthesise”, especially as that would have made the acronym “OSDA”, which all [[ninja]]s will find pleasing.</ref> figure out what to do (''decide'') and then do it (''act'') ''before'' the other side gets through its own process of doing exactly that, and changes tack, spoiling your clever plan.  


The concept was invented by legendary US Air Force Colonel, John Boyd whose classic dog-fighting manoeuvre was to suddenly fly straight up, stalling his plane, obliging his pursuer to fly straight past him, then dropping down on the attacker and giving him the full nine yards.<ref>Speaking of dogfighting, the legend that this expression originated from the total length of a Spitfire’s machine gun belt (hence to give it the full nine yards is to shoot everything you have at once), but disappointingly this appears to be an urban myth, at least according to Wikipedia. The phrase dates back to the late 19th century.</ref>
The concept was invented by legendary US Air Force Colonel, John Boyd whose classic dog-fighting manoeuvre was to suddenly fly straight up, stalling his plane, obliging his pursuer to fly straight past him, then dropping down on the attacker and giving him the full nine yards.<ref>Speaking of dogfighting, the legend that this expression originated from the total length of a Spitfire’s machine gun belt (hence to give it the full nine yards is to shoot everything you have at once) appears to be an urban myth, at least according to Wikipedia. The phrase dates back to the late 19th century, before there were any Spitfires. Boo.</ref>


The player who can do it ''faster'' — thereby rendering the other player’s observation and orientation= obsolete before it can decide and act — is “inside her opponent’s OODA loop” and, as long as she can continuously keep her OODA loop cycling fast enough, will have the opposition constantly reacting to what she is doing, chasing the game, having to change tactics without ever getting onto the front foot.  
The player who can do it ''faster'' — thereby rendering the other player’s observation and orientation= obsolete before it can decide and act — is “inside her opponent’s OODA loop” and, as long as she can continuously keep her OODA loop cycling fast enough, will have the opposition constantly reacting to what she is doing, chasing the game, having to change tactics without ever getting onto the front foot.  

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