Paul McCartney and Subtle Signals: Applications to New Product Development
John, Paul, George, and Ringo continuously synchronized their efforts. Subtle signals helped Paul McCartney and the other Beatles coordinate their musical efforts during performances on the Ed Sullivan Show under conditions of extreme noise in 1964.
To improve your development performance, evaluate your approach to:
▪ Requisites to Coordination
▪ Subtle signals
▪ Feedback
▪ Feed forward
▪ Impressions
▪ Representations of reality
▪ Mismatches
An appropriate analysis will suggest additional investment opportunity areas such as theory and practice. You will have insights to discern the valuable subtle signals from the spurious. Strive to improve your agility so that you can learn faster than the speed of the market and faster than competitors.
Analogous concepts can be applied to improve Development Experience [DX] in new product development.
Created 27 February 2014. Produced by Mark A Hart, NPDP, OpLaunch
Paul McCartney and Subtle Signals: Applications to New Product Development
1. Paul McCartney and Subtle
Signals:
Applications to New Product Development
Mark A Hart, NPDP
1
1
2. Requisites to Coordination
•
•
•
•
•
Individually, John, Paul, George, and Ringo were
proficient musicians
As a group, the Beatles practiced together for years
Musically, they knew what to expect
They did not rely on a technology that they could not
control
They did not rely on delayed feedback from others
2
2
3. Feed Forward
•
•
•
•
Use information accumulated in the past to influence
the future
Benefits from the involvement of proficient
practitioners
Training precedes performance
A control signal that is transmitted from a source to a
destination
3
3
4. Prominent Signal
•
Crowd noise
Subtle Signals
•
•
•
•
Discernible sounds such as the crash of a cymbal or the
rumble from the bass drum
Facial expressions of the other musicians including mouth
movements
Movements of fingers, arms, and feet of the other musicians
Interactions with the environment such as instantaneous
interaction of the performance and reactions from the crowd
4
4
5. Feedback
•
•
•
•
Uses information about current results to influence
operation in the present
Modifies a system based on interim results
Changes the system output
May be referred to as closed-loop feedback
5
5
6. Judiciously Incorporating Subtle Signals
•
•
•
•
Valuable subtle signals may not be available when they would
be the most useful
Valuable subtle signals may be overlooked by novices
An individual musician may not have the capacity to discern
valuable subtle signals from the spurious subtle signals
The value of amplifying a particular signal by a specific
amount is assessed by the nature of the results and the
interaction with the environment
6
6
7. Incorporating the appropriate subtle
signals enabled the Beatles to be
proficient performers in environments
with nearly overwhelming undesirable
noise.
7
7
8. Coordinated Efforts of Camera Operators
• Camera operators were proficient
•
•
individually
They formed a cohesive team.
They framed every shot without being able
to hear the coordinating instructions from the
director.
8
8
9. Mismatch
The differences of “our mental
images/impressions and the reality it is
supposed to represent”
(John Boyd, Conceptual Spiral, 1992, 25)
9
9
11. Impressions
•
•
•
•
•
May be faulty or incomplete
Impressions are built on assumptions
Biases influence impressions
Individual observations may be misleading
Errors may be unknown.
11
11
12. Representations of Reality are Influenced by:
• Observations
• Feedback from decisions
• Feedback from actions
• Interactions with the environment
12
12
13. Because representations of reality may be
faulty or incomplete, approaches should be
developed to detect and correct
mismatches
13
13
15. Mismatches and the OODA Loop Sketch
OODA Loop Sketch adapted from Boyd’s “The Essence of Winning and Losing” 1995
15
15
16. Rapid feedback and feed forward capabilities
minimize the propagation of mistakes
16
16
17. Proficient craftsman can incorporate
selected subtle signals appropriately to
achieve valuable results nearly
instantaneously.
17
17
18. Use of Mismatch Approaches
• Situations that include preparation,
•
performance, and retrospective phases
Situations with long delays between analysis,
plans, actions, and consequences
18
18
20. Applications to Development Experience
• Requisites to Coordination
• Subtle signals
• Feedback
• Feed forward
• Impressions
• Representations of reality
• Mismatches
20
20
21. Recommendations
• Invest in opportunity areas such as theory
•
•
and practice
Learn to discern valuable subtle signals from
the spurious
Improve your agility so that you can learn
faster than the speed of the market and faster
than competitors
21
21
23. Paul McCartney and Subtle
Signals:
Applications to New Product Development
www.OpLaunch.com
Twitter: @OpLaunch
Mark A Hart
23
27 February 2014 23
Notas del editor
Paul McCartney and Subtle Signals: Applications to New Product Development
Welcome to the Development Experience podcast. I am your host, Mark Hart, a certified new product development professional and the founder of OpLaunch.
When the Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan Show on 9 February 1964, there was noise from screaming fans. During this performance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo had difficulty hearing each other. However, they delivered a great performance. How did they coordinate their musical efforts?
Sequential Development ProcessSome textbooks summarize the steps to new product development (NPD) as a sequential process:
Individually, John, Paul, George, and Ringo were proficient musicians. They invested years developing their musical abilities.▪As a group, the Beatles practiced together for years. They performed under a diverse set of conditions. They had experience in ideal performance conditions and challenging performance conditions.▪Musically, they knew what to expect. They pre-selected songs for the performance that they had mastered. The arrangements were designed for live performance by four musicians. These arrangements were familiar.▪They did not rely on a technology that they could not control. They did not have a sophisticated audio monitoring system. They did not have headphones or in-ear personal audio monitors.▪They did not rely on delayed feedback from others involved in the production.
Individually, John, Paul, George, and Ringo were proficient musicians. They invested years developing their musical abilities.▪As a group, the Beatles practiced together for years. They performed under a diverse set of conditions. They had experience in ideal performance conditions and challenging performance conditions.▪Musically, they knew what to expect. They pre-selected songs for the performance that they had mastered. The arrangements were designed for live performance by four musicians. These arrangements were familiar.▪They did not rely on a technology that they could not control. They did not have a sophisticated audio monitoring system. They did not have headphones or in-ear personal audio monitors.▪They did not rely on delayed feedback from others involved in the production.
Feed ForwardIn part, the quality of the musical performance required using information accumulated in the past to influence the future. This can be called a feed forward approach. A feed forward approach benefits from the involvement of proficient practitioners. In a feed forward approach, training precedes performance.In other contexts, a feed forward approach may be characterized by a control signal that is transmitted from a source to a destination.
In part, the quality of the musical performance required using information accumulated in the past to influence the future. This can be called a feed forward approach. A feed forward approach benefits from the involvement of proficient practitioners. In a feed forward approach, training precedes performance.In other contexts, a feed forward approach may be characterized by a control signal that is transmitted from a source to a destination.
Prominent Signals and Subtle SignalsDuring the performances in 1964, the crowd noise was a prominent signal. During the performances, there were valuable subtle signals.In a noisy environment, these subtle signals correlated with specific parts of each song. They included:
▪Discernible sounds such as the crash of a cymbal or the rumble from the bass drum▪Facial expressions of the other musicians including mouth movements▪Movements of fingers, arms, and feet of the other musicians▪Interactions with the environment such as instantaneous interaction of the performance and reactions from the crowd
(Based on remarks by Paul McCartney in “The Beatles: The Night that Changed America. CBS 9 February 2014)
(Based on remarks by Paul McCartney in “The Beatles: The Night that Changed America. CBS 9 February 2014)
(Based on remarks by Paul McCartney in “The Beatles: The Night that Changed America. CBS 9 February 2014)
Feedback
The subtle signals provided feedback during the performances. Feedback is an approach that uses information about current results to influence operation in the present. Feedback modifies a system based on interim results. Feedback changes the system output. This approach may be referred to as closed-loop feedback.
Incorporating Subtle Signals
Subtle signals should be incorporated judiciously. Considerations include:▪Valuable subtle signals may not be available when they would be the most useful.▪Valuable subtle signals may be overlooked by novices.▪An individual musician may not have the capacity to discern valuable subtle signals from the spurious subtle signals. Stated another way, an individual may not know that a subtle signal is valuable when they detect it.▪The value of amplifying a particular signal by a specific amount is assessed by the nature of the results and the interaction with the environment.Incorporating the appropriate subtle signals enabled the Beatles to be proficient performers in environments with nearly overwhelming undesirable noise.
Incorporating Subtle Signals
Incorporating the appropriate subtle signals enabled the Beatles to be proficient performers in environments with nearly overwhelming undesirable noise.
Coordinated Efforts of Camera OperatorsIt was so noisy in the Ed Sullivan Theater during the Beatles’ performances that the camera operators could not hear the instructions from the program director. The camera operators were proficient individually. They formed a cohesive team. They framed every shot without being able to hear the coordinating instructions from the director. The next week, a decision was made to replace the open-ear headphones with over-the-ear headphones.(Based on remarks by the production crew in “The Beatles: The Night that Changed America. CBS 9 February 2014)
It was so noisy in the Ed Sullivan Theater during the Beatles’ performances that the camera operators could not hear the instructions from the program director. The camera operators were proficient individually. They formed a cohesive team. They framed every shot without being able to hear the coordinating instructions from the director. The next week, a decision was made to replace the open-ear headphones with over-the-ear headphones.(Based on remarks by the production crew in “The Beatles: The Night that Changed America. CBS 9 February 2014)
MismatchesMismatches address the differences of “our mental images/impressions and the reality it is supposed to represent” (John Boyd, Conceptual Spiral, 1992, 25)
Mismatches address the differences of “our mental images/impressions and the reality it is supposed to represent” (John Boyd, Conceptual Spiral, 1992, 25)
Impressions and Representations of RealityThis graphic is a 2-dimensional model of impression, representation of reality, and reality.Impressions flow from previous experience which includes knowledge, skills, training, and capabilities. Practice and theory shape impressions. Impressions establish the boundaries of the decisions that can be made and the actions that are possible. Words that can be substituted for impressions may include hypothesis and model.
This graphic is a 2-dimensional model of impression, representation of reality, and reality.Impressions flow from previous experience which includes knowledge, skills, training, and capabilities. Practice and theory shape impressions. Impressions establish the boundaries of the decisions that can be made and the actions that are possible. Words that can be substituted for impressions may include hypothesis and model.
Impressions
Impressions may be faulty or incomplete. Impressions are built on assumptions. Biases influence impressions. Individual observations may be misleading. Errors may be unknown.
Representations of reality are influenced by:▪Observations▪Feedback from decisions▪Feedback from actions▪Interactions with the environment
Representations of reality may be faulty or incomplete.
Address and ImproveApproaches should be developed to detect and correct mismatches. A properly developed approach enables impressions and representations of reality to be addressed and improved.
Approaches should be developed to detect and correct mismatches. A properly developed approach enables impressions and representations of reality to be addressed and improved.
Mismatches and the OODA Loop SketchMismatches address the differences of “our mental images/impressions and the reality it is supposed to represent” (John Boyd, Conceptual Spiral, 1992, 25)The mismatch approach summarized in this post is based on the insights of John Boyd. Some of his insights are encoded in his OODA (for Observation, Orientation, Decision, and Action) Loop sketch (Boyd, The Essence of Winning and Losing, 1995).OODA Loop sketch that includes feedback, feed forward, and implicit guidance & control. Based on a 1995 sketch by John Boyd.Although the word “mismatch” is not one of the labeled items, the concept is encapsulated in the sketch and described in Boyd’s Conceptual Spiral briefing of 1992.
Mismatches address the differences of “our mental images/impressions and the reality it is supposed to represent” (John Boyd, Conceptual Spiral, 1992, 25)The mismatch approach summarized in this post is based on the insights of John Boyd. Some of his insights are encoded in his OODA (for Observation, Orientation, Decision, and Action) Loop sketch (Boyd, The Essence of Winning and Losing, 1995).OODA Loop sketch that includes feedback, feed forward, and implicit guidance & control. Based on a 1995 sketch by John Boyd.Although the word “mismatch” is not one of the labeled items, the concept is encapsulated in the sketch and described in Boyd’s Conceptual Spiral briefing of 1992.
MismatchesIn situations that rely on a coordination of efforts, the potential for success is improved with rapid feedback and feed forward capabilities. An approach that has been developed to detect and correct mismatches can provide a way to make corrections dynamically. It provides a framework to ensure that mistakes aren’t propagated.
In situations that rely on a coordination of efforts, the potential for success is improved with rapid feedback and feed forward capabilities. An approach that has been developed to detect and correct mismatches can provide a way to make corrections dynamically. It provides a framework to ensure that mistakes aren’t propagated.
Proficient craftsman can incorporate selected subtle signals appropriately to achieve valuable results nearly instantaneously.
A mismatch approach can be used in situations that include preparation, performance, and retrospective phases. In these situations, there may be long delays between analysis, plans, actions, and consequences. In these types of situations, feedback is delayed and it is more difficult to perceive relationships between cause and effect.
Prominent signals, subtle signals, and noise plus their interactions contribute to mismatches. Mismatches are multidimensional.
John, Paul, George, and Ringo continuously synchronized their efforts. Subtle signals helped Paul McCartney and the other Beatles coordinate their musical efforts during performances on the Ed Sullivan Show under conditions of extreme noise in 1964. To improve your development performance, evaluate your approach to:▪Requisites to Coordination▪Subtle signals▪Feedback▪Feed forward▪Impressions▪Representations of reality▪Mismatches
An appropriate analysis will suggest additional investment opportunity areas such as theory and practice. You will have insights to discern the valuable subtle signals from the spurious. Strive to improve your agility so that you can learn faster than the speed of the market and faster than competitors.Analogous concepts can be applied to improve Development Experience [DX] in new product development.
This episode included extracts from the book "Developing Winners: Assimilating the Insights Encapsulated in Boyd's OODA Loop" by OpLaunch founder, Mark A Hart.
If you would like to learn more about Using Subtle Signals and Mismatches in New Product Development or explore other new product development resources, I invite you to visit the OpLaunch website at www.oplaunch.com Thanks for viewing this presentation of the Development Experience in New Product Development.
Created February 27th, 2014.