2 posts tagged with "Systems"

What next?

Every system faces this question at every moment. The telco switch selecting a carrier for a voice call. The factory scheduler assigning a work order to a work center. The robot negotiating a handoff with a stranger it has never met. The person standing at a fork, deciding by principle or by convenience.

The answer is always the same structure.

How many things can you hold in your mind and still act?

Not think about. Not write down. Not save to a spreadsheet you'll never open again. Hold in working memory while making a decision under pressure.

The answer, for nearly everyone, is five.