Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
Only variety can destroy variety. A control system must have at least as much internal variety (complexity) as the environment it aims to control.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Manage complexity reduction. Facing complex market changes, trying to respond with 'a set of standard processes' is doomed to fail. You must increase the team's flexibility and skill mix (increase internal variety) until it matches external complexity.
Anchor fast decisions
Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety: Only if the controller's variety is not less than the controlled system's variety can effective regulation be achieved. The more complex and variable the system, the more 'moves' the controller must have.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/4Practice this model in one real situation:
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more
Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variety_(cyberneticsverified
PRIVATE NOTES · Only visible to you
SAVED Q&A
ENTRY Q&A · Private saving available
Ask with a clear boundary
thinkingmodels answers from published entry context only.
Your question is sent to thinkingmodels. The answer uses public entry context only.
RELATED MODELS