Help!

What is a better name for hierarchical control?

I am wrapping up my involvement in a conference called "Science, Wisdom, and the Future" (you can imagine why I would be here if you've read these blogs for a while!) I haven't had a lot of time to think about writing while I've been here, but one thing came up that I thought I'd get out quickly to see if any of you out there could help me with.

As some of you know I have proposed the application of hierarchical control theory in understanding the natural forms of governance of complex, adaptive systems that evolves quite naturally. I have suggested that understanding the theory will help us intentionally develop a more sapient form of governance for our societies and economies. And from comments and e-mails I've gotten a number of readers have found the ideas palatable if not compelling.

But during the course of discussions at this conference it has become clear that most people are repelled by the terms 'hierarchical' and 'control'! It evokes an image of a top-down command-and-control system, essentially a dictatorship or some kind of authoritarian bureaucracy. Those of you who have read my other writing, I hope, realize that I mean anything but such an organization. But once the phrase 'hierarchical control' is out there, too many people throw up barriers to further communications. Perhaps some who have discovered my blog and read these words have had a similar reaction.

As I have attempted to further explain my meaning of the terms here, people generally do finally come around to realizing that their semantics and mine are from two very different perspectives. Once we get past the terminology differences we've had very successful discussions. In fact I've been invited to give several talks as a result of people seeing the broader application of the theory as I've explained it.

But it set me to ponder if I shouldn't be using some different terminology to call this theory. I still want to convey in the name that the architecture is layered (strategic decisions at the upper layer, operational decisions at the lowest layer) and that it does involve cybernetic principles (control theory). But it also needs to emphasize that the components of decision making are distributed and semi-autonomous within the framework of their decision domains (e.g. tactical decision makers have responsibility and authority to make tactical decisions without a strategic layer micro-managing them). Actually it would be nice to somehow incorporate the idea that the distributed architecture is essential to the health of the system by providing resilience and backup capabilities if lines of communication are temporarily lost (like that in the design of the Internet).

So I am contemplating a new name for hierarchical control theory that avoids the old implications of those two terms while preserving the integrity of the theory. I don't want to put people off by using terms they have a preconceived bad feeling about. Since I have seen people who reacted to my original terms change their attitudes once I explained the concepts more fully, I am thinking that people don't have any deep objections to the notions of layered decisions systems (after all we are all part of such organizations and accept the division of decision-making labor all of the time) as long as they realize I am not suggesting that the world be governed by dictatorship.

I could use a little help with this. I will be contemplating it over the next few days of travel. But I thought I would throw the challenge out there to see if any of you have some insights to contribute. I'd love to hear your ideas.

I will be getting back home in a few days. But unfortunately I will almost immediately turn around and travel again. So for the next month, my postings will be spotty. I do check my e-mail more regularly so if you have some ideas comment or e-mail me.

Comments

[Florifulgurator]

Hm. "Hierachical control" is a standard technical term. Replacing it perhaps does more harm than good. You might draw more attention from the naive, but then alienate the techni literate...

Perhaps: 1) Add a "tree" to hierarchical. 2) Control = operation, management,...

"Hierachical tree systems operation" ?
ugh...

[Sean FitzGerald]

I don't pretend to understand this area at all, but I'm reminded of the term 'heterarchy' that I've come across via the P2P Foundation blog - http://tinyurl.com/nurnrk

It may not be exactly what you want, but some of the other resources on the blog might help you out as they seem to cover similar issues.

[Neven]

I wish I could help with this one, but I have to admit that I haven't read your pieces where hierarchical control systems are mentioned or explained (I also had a knee-jerk reaction when encountering the term in this piece).

You mentioned 'layered decisions systems' yourself. That already sounds much better. Or what about 'distributed decisions systems'? 'Decisions systems' sounds good IMO, replacing the 'control' part. Combine it with a word that replaces hierarchical.

Have a good and safe trip,

Neven

[Scott Nesler]

I would suggest an alternative to a hierarchical model. A hierarchy model suggest a linear path (root to leaf) and a finite solution. My short essay called, Getting to the root of the problem, provides a little more insight.

http://www.dogoodgauge.org/site/DoGoodGauge/page_contents/display/85

Shortly after posting this article on Global Sensemaking, Robert Beckett pointed me to Buckminster Fuller who describes a geodesic model for connecting disjointed arguments. I would suggest Bucky's geodesic principles and concepts of Synergy as an alternative.

[Sudeep Bhaumick]

sorry I have been traveling myself and could not respond sooner...

our societies have "evolved" from being based in agriculture to industrial to information to a society based around knowledge...

but as we have now found out knowledge is not good enough what we need is a system based on wisdom / sapience...

Hierarchical Control System does sound rather obtuse and alienating... why not something like...

Sapient Control System...

or any other word that shows the core to be wisdom. after all the emphasis is on wisdom / sapience since information and knowledge don't really work...

in the model suggested by you the core is a collective work of wisdom and by extension a control system based on wisdom...

the hierarchy bit also flows naturally out of the model. if there is a large no. of people to be organized there wold be some hierarchy...

the problem with the word "hierarchy" IMHO is that humans naturally tend to an egalitarian status ironically at the same time society currently only preaches hierarchy... the word has negative connotations...

:) best of luck !

[GaryA]

Off the top of my head maybe something like 'Sapient directed endosymbiosis' or 'Emergent social endosymbiosis' are we allowed to make new phrases up?!

[Endosymbiosis; the symbiotic union of primitive prokaryotic cells into the more advanced
eukaryotic cell]

[George Mobus]

Thanks to all for the ideas. It's a knotty problem.

I can't help but agree with Florifulgurator that this is, after all, a technical term that has meaning to many of the people who would be involved in helping design (or at least evaluate) such systems.

At the same time, we need to evoke an image that conveys the fact that just because something is hierarchically structured doesn't automatically make it a top-down, dictatorial system. Were there adequate time I might have set about on an educational mission to get this idea across. But with time running out (and it takes a long time for a paradigm shift to get hold) I feel a need to find some way of communicating the ideas properly and completely without triggering knee-jerk responses.

I'll take some of these ideas into mind and let my subconscious play with it whilst I vacation!

Just got home from the conference in Southern Calif. and am off for more down time. Though I will take my computer in case inspiration strikes!

George

[Geoffrey]

The real question then is how to address the marketing issue of these ideas, that is the shorten monicker to impress upon others. I'm partial to the term 'synergy' even thought it has been badly abused through the years in the corporate world. I also like the term 'decision systems' as was outlined above, because we as humans like to believe we have complete free will decision making, as opposed to the notion of control which we innately resist.