sethdford Pattern Recognition
Map the structure of a problem to structures you have seen elsewhere, then borrow mechanisms (not labels). The win is transfer; the failure mode is superficial analogy.
When to Use
- Novel situations that “rhyme” with past domains; systems with loops, incentives, networks, or coordination; when the user wants reusable intuition.
Workflow
Ask: “Where have I seen this structure before?” Scan for: feedback loops; network effects; diminishing returns; threshold/step-function behavior; tragedy of the commons; coordination games; principal–agent misalignment.
For each candidate pattern, state the matching mechanism (who acts, what reinforces what, what is conserved/scarce) and a falsifiable check—what observation would disprove the analogy. Reject matches based on surface vocabulary alone.
Prefer one strong structural match plus implications over a laundry list of buzzwords.
Examples
Example 1: Org silos hoarding data → tragedy of the commons / local incentives: private upside, shared downside; fix needs metrics and governance, not “more culture slides.”
Example 2: Latency SLO debates → diminishing returns + threshold effects: past a knee, small wins don’t change UX; verify with percentiles and user journeys, not mean latency alone.