Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
A control system (manager/brain) can effectively control a system (environment/problem) only if its internal state variety (complexity) is at least equal to that of the controlled system. 'Only variety can absorb variety.'
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Strategies for coping with complexity. In the face of a complex and volatile market environment, a rigid and monolithic organizational structure is bound to fail. Organizations must increase their internal flexibility and cognitive dimensions (e.g., diverse teams, agile processes) to match the complexity of the external environment.
Anchor fast decisions
Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety in cybernetics: a necessary condition for a regulator to successfully suppress disturbances is that the variety of states it can exhibit is greater than or equal to the variety of the controlled system. That is, 'only variety can destroy variety.' The unpredictability of a system must be absorbed by a coping mechanism of equivalent complexity; otherwise, some disturbances will escape.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- wikiwand.comhttps://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Law_of_requisite_varietyverified
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