ooda

name	ooda
description	Fast OODA-loop decision skill for high-uncertainty situations. Use when the user wants to work through Observe → Orient → Decide → Act, make a call quickly, pressure-test a situation, or determine the next move under uncertainty.

OODA

Use this skill for fast, structured decisions under uncertainty.

This is not generic planning and not a strategy whitepaper. It is a compact loop for figuring out the next move when the situation is real, the signal is mixed, and waiting too long is its own mistake.

Use when

• the user says "run OODA on this"
• the user asks "what's the move here?"
• the user wants help deciding under uncertainty
• the user needs a fast pressure-test before acting
• the user has a live situation with incomplete information, real constraints, and a need for a concrete next step

Do not use when

• the question is trivial and does not need structured decision work
• the task is mostly execution-heavy rather than decision-heavy
• the decision is irreversible, high-blast-radius, or clearly deserves a full council
• the user needs deep research first and the facts are too thin to orient honestly

Default workflow

1. Observe Gather verified facts, recent changes, unknowns, and signal vs noise. Do not pad this section with assumptions.

2. Orient This is the most important step. Identify:

   • the actual goal
   • constraints
   • incentives
   • risks
   • reversibility
   • hidden assumptions
   • framing errors

   If the framing is wrong, say so before deciding.

3. Decide Pick the best move now, not the perfect move forever. State why this move wins, what it trades off, and what would change the call.

4. Act Convert the decision into a concrete next step with owner, timing, and feedback signal. Prefer the smallest high-leverage move.

5. Re-loop Say what new information, threshold, or event should trigger the next OODA cycle.

Output format

1. Observe — verified facts, changes, unknowns
2. Orient — goals, constraints, incentives, risks, reversibility, framing check
3. Decide — recommended move and why
4. Act — next step, owner, timing, feedback signal
5. Re-loop trigger — what causes reassessment

Decision handling

Read references/decision-types.md before finalizing the recommendation. Use references/loop-template.md when a compact reusable structure helps.

Style

• crisp, not ceremonial
• practical, not theoretical
• blunt about weak framing
• favor leverage over verbosity
• do not pretend uncertainty is clarity