Boyd, DNI and Closing the (OODA) Loop
I was saddened to learn that Dr. Chet Richards’ Defense and the National Interest (DNI) site is shutting down. If you’re unfamiliar with DNI, it’s been an informative and frequently provocative source of outside-the-box thinking (and a forum for diverse viewpoints) on national security topics in the post-cold war environment.
DNI has also served as the de facto repository for the wrtitings and work of the late Col. John Boyd (1927-1997), arguably one of the greatest (and certainly most influential) military strategists of the 20th century. Although not always acknowledged as such, his ideas have also informed more than a few “A-list” business writers and world-class consulting organizations.
Boyd is best known for developing the OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act) concept, originally formulated specifically for military operations. Because of its broad applicability, however, the OODA model is also routinely applied to human behavior in a staggering variety of non-military contexts, from learning theory to business operations, including marketing as it relates to buyer behavior.
Heralding a legion of imitators to come, Boyd was a one-of-a-kind, larger than life personality who referred to his office as the “thunder and lightning shop,” in contrast to the staid, “business as usual” that he perceived to be widespread throughout the rest of the military establishment.
Here’s Boyd on challenging assumptions and extracting what’s useful from widely different systems:
Thanks to Shlok Vaida and John Robb for the heads-up on the planned closing of the DNI site, and for the pointer to “Citizen Fouchet,” who compiled the direct links below to free, downloadable versions of Boyd’s best-known work.
A Discourse on Winning and Losing
Abstract of the Discourse and Conceptual Spiral (413KB .pdf)
Destruction and Creation (on chetrichards.com)
Patterns of Conflict
Original format in PDF (2.9 MB)
PPT (1.5 MB)
PDF of PPT (830 KB)
The Strategic Game of ? and ?
Original format in PDF (587 KB)
PPT (319 KB)
PDF of PPT (97 KB)
Organic Design for Command and Control
Original format in PDF (409 KB)
PPT (201 KB)
PDF of PPT (90 KB)
The Essence of Winning and Losing (on chetrichards.com)
Earlier work
Aerial Attack Study (7572KB .pdf)
Fast Transients (1292Kb .pdf)
Source lists
There’s also a lot of 4GW (Fourth Generation Warfare) material for people who swing that way, including William S. Lind’s “On War” articles.
Finally, Mark “Zenpundit” Safranski, editor of the John Boyd Roundtable: Debating Science, Strategy and War, has written a fitting homage to the DNI site.
So, while the future home of the this material remains uncertain, you’re encouraged to download it while you can. Whatever your field of endeavor, you’ll be challenged by Col. John Boyd’s insights.
