Feedback loops are the engines of growth and change. They’re the mechanisms by which the output of a system influences its own input.
Complex systems often have many feedback loops, and it can be hard to appreciate how adjusting to feedback in one part of the system will affect the rest.
Using feedback loops as a mental model begins with noticing the feedback you give and respond to every day. The model also gives insight into the value of iterations in adjusting based on the feedback you receive. With this lens, you gain insight into where to direct system changes based on feedback and the pace at which you need to go to monitor the impacts.
Feedback loops are what make systems dynamic. Without feedback, a system just does the same thing over and over. Understand them, respect them, and use them wisely.
-- Farnam Street