1. Source
Internet (Where else?) – Defense and the National Interest (a vetted source)
For MANY additional aspects of decision making:
(unvetted, commercial)

2. [Click (left) mouse button to advance]
The OODA “Loop” Sketch
[A printer-friendly version appears on page 5.]
[Click (left) mouse button to advance]
Observe
Orient
Decide
Act
Feed Forward
Observations
Decision (Hypothesis)
Action (Test)
Cultural Traditions
Genetic Heritage
New Information
Previous Experience
Analyses & Synthesis
Implicit Guidance & Control
Unfolding Interaction With Environment
Feedback
Outside Information
Unfolding Circumstances
Unfortunately, it is not as simple as “observe, then orient, then decide, then act.” In fact such a sequential model would be very ponderous and would not well describe how successful competitors operate.
When Boyd talks about “faster OODA loop speed.” he means the entire loop – all 33 or so arrows.
The key to speed turns out to be the two “implicit guidance and control” arrows at the top. In other words, most of the time people and groups do not employ the explicit, sequential O-to-O-to-D-to-A mechanism. Most of the time, they simply observe and act. There is data coming out to support this (see Gary Klein’s book, noted in Sword.)
The question, of course, is, “What action?” A thinking opponent doesn’t provide us with a laundry list of his tactics so we can work out responses in advance. The mechanism which handles this uncertainty and makes the loop function in a real world situation is “Orientation.”
As we suck in information via the “Observe” gateway, and particularly mismatches between what we predict and what actually happens, we have to change our orientation (and hence the implicit guidance and control flowing from orientation.)
Note that “OODA” speed is quite different from the speed of our actions. Doing something dumb, but doing it at high speed, may not provide much of a competitive advantage.
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.
Competitive advantage comes from quickness over the entire “loop,” not just or even primarily from the O-to-O-to-D-to-A sequence.

3. Pumping up OODA “Loop” Speed
Observe
Orient
Decide
Act
Implicit Guidance & Control
Action (Test)
Unfolding Interaction With Environment
Feed Forward
Observations
Unfolding Circumstances
Outside Information
Cultural Traditions
Genetic Heritage
New Information
Previous Experience
Analyses & Synthesis
Unfortunately, it is not as simple as “observe, then orient, then decide, then act.” In fact such a sequential model would be very ponderous and would not well describe how successful competitors operate.
When Boyd talks about “faster OODA loop speed.” he means the entire loop – all 33 or so arrows.
The key to speed turns out to be the two “implicit guidance and control” arrows at the top. In other words, most of the time people and groups do not employ the explicit, sequential O-to-O-to-D-to-A mechanism. Most of the time, they simply observe and act. There is data coming out to support this (see Gary Klein’s book, noted in Sword.)
The question, of course, is, “What action?” A thinking opponent doesn’t provide us with a laundry list of his tactics so we can work out responses in advance. The mechanism which handles this uncertainty and makes the loop function in a real world situation is “Orientation.”
As we suck in information via the “Observe” gateway, and particularly mismatches between what we predict and what actually happens, we have to change our orientation (and hence the implicit guidance and control flowing from orientation.)
Note that “OODA” speed is quite different from the speed of our actions. Doing something dumb, but doing it at high speed, may not provide much of a competitive advantage.
“Orientation is the Schwerpunkt.” Organic Design, 16.
“Emphasize implicit over explicit in order to gain a favorable mismatch in friction and time.” Organic Design, 22.
“Interaction permits vitality and growth, while isolation leads to decay and disintegration.” Strategic Game, 29.

4. Sometimes, You Just Have to Make a Decision
Observe
Orient
Decide
Act
Implicit Guidance & Control
Implicit Guidance & Control
Unfolding Circumstances
Cultural Traditions
Genetic Heritage
New Information
Previous Experience
Analyses & Synthesis
Observations
Decision (Hypothesis)
Action (Test)
Feed Forward
Feed Forward
Feed Forward
Outside Information
Unfolding Interaction With Environment
Unfolding Interaction With Environment
Feedback
Make (explicit) decisions when you need to harmonize the actions of groups of people, i.e., to re-orient them to a new goal or purpose.
However:
Until they reorient, their actions will still be influenced by their implicit guidance and controls
Decision making and reorientation always take time
Feedback
Unfortunately, it is not as simple as “observe, then orient, then decide, then act.” In fact such a sequential model would be very ponderous and would not well describe how successful competitors operate.
When Boyd talks about “faster OODA loop speed.” he means the entire loop – all 33 or so arrows.
The key to speed turns out to be the two “implicit guidance and control” arrows at the top. In other words, most of the time people and groups do not employ the explicit, sequential O-to-O-to-D-to-A mechanism. Most of the time, they simply observe and act. There is data coming out to support this (see Gary Klein’s book, noted in Sword.)
The question, of course, is, “What action?” A thinking opponent doesn’t provide us with a laundry list of his tactics so we can work out responses in advance. The mechanism which handles this uncertainty and makes the loop function in a real world situation is “Orientation.”
As we suck in information via the “Observe” gateway, and particularly mismatches between what we predict and what actually happens, we have to change our orientation (and hence the implicit guidance and control flowing from orientation.)
Note that “OODA” speed is quite different from the speed of our actions. Doing something dumb, but doing it at high speed, may not provide much of a competitive advantage.

5. Operating Inside Their OODA Loop
“It’s like they’re moving in slow motion.” —Boyd describing “operating inside opponents’ OODA loops.”
“It’s like you’re commanding both sides.” — typical impression of a successful cheng / ch’i operation. [cheng - “orthodox, expected,” while ch’i - “unorthodox, shocking, irregular.” By operating inside an opponent’s OODA loop, you will find it much easier to set up and exploit cheng / ch’i situations.]

6. Boyd’s OODA “Loop” Sketch
Observe
Orient
Decide
Act
Implicit Guidance & Control
Implicit Guidance & Control
Unfolding Circumstances
Cultural Traditions
Observations
Genetic Heritage
Decision (Hypothesis)
Analyses & Synthesis
Action (Test)
Feed Forward
Feed Forward
Feed Forward
New Information
Previous Experience
Outside Information
Unfolding Interaction With Environment
Unfolding Interaction With Environment
Feedback
Unfortunately, it is not as simple as “observe, then orient, then decide, then act.” In fact such a sequential model would be very ponderous and would not well describe how successful competitors operate.
When Boyd talks about “faster OODA loop speed.” he means the entire loop – all 33 or so arrows.
The key to speed turns out to be the two “implicit guidance and control” arrows at the top. In other words, most of the time people and groups do not employ the explicit, sequential O-to-O-to-D-to-A mechanism. Most of the time, they simply observe and act. There is data coming out to support this (see Gary Klein’s book, noted in Sword.)
The question, of course, is, “What action?” A thinking opponent doesn’t provide us with a laundry list of his tactics so we can work out responses in advance. The mechanism which handles this uncertainty and makes the loop function in a real world situation is “Orientation.”
As we suck in information via the “Observe” gateway, and particularly mismatches between what we predict and what actually happens, we have to change our orientation (and hence the implicit guidance and control flowing from orientation.)
Note that “OODA” speed is quite different from the speed of our actions. Doing something dumb, but doing it at high speed, may not provide much of a competitive advantage.
Feedback
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.
Defense and the National Interest,