Jawn Lam

Maneuver Replay

Power & PoliticsInstrumentThe Lam System for Political Interaction

Choose one of the five maneuvers worked through in the series and step forward through its record, one entry at a time. A sub-cycle opens under the entry that needed it and closes when it hands back. The panel shows which cycle is active, which are waiting at their gates, and what the actor holds and has spent. The people and organizations are invented, and every maneuver is illustrative.

Tamsin's maneuver, as the record keeps it

Illustrative. The people and the company are invented. Each row is one entry in the record, in the order it was written. Tamsin starts holding the night-flow readings and her standing with Cormac. She plays a single lever, its gate passes, and every phase fires once.

Cycle: Tamsin and Cormac

  1. OpenThe cycleA new cycle opens under Tamsin's agenda.
  2. InterestActorTamsin wants the authority over the two leak-detection crews' schedule for the summer.
  3. DetectionActorCormac will put the crews on the survey, leave them answering reported leaks, or buy the survey from a contractor.
  4. ObjectiveActorCormac approves the survey, and the crews' summer comes to Tamsin.
  5. IntentionActorShow Cormac that the district's night flow has risen every month since spring, and that his own crews can trace it faster than a contractor.
  6. Required resourcesActorThe district's night-flow readings.
  7. Gate passesThe cycleTamsin holds the readings.
  8. ExecutionActorTamsin takes Cormac through the readings, month by month.Spent: the night-flow readings
  9. PerceptionTargetCormac reads the rising night flow as leakage his crews can find before summer, sooner than a contractor could.
  10. SelectionTargetCormac approves the survey.
  11. OutcomeThe cycleThe two crews go onto the survey of the cast-iron district for the summer.
  12. Obtained utilityTargetCormac gets a leakage figure he can defend to the city, with nothing spent on contractors.
  13. CloseThe cycleThe maneuver closes.
  14. Flow backActorTamsin holds what she opened the cycle for.Returned: the authority over the crews' summer schedule

Marguerite's maneuver, as the record keeps it

Illustrative. The people and the company are invented. Each row is one entry in the record, in the order it was written. Each lever gets its own pass through the middle of the cycle, and the cycle reads the two once, after both have been played.

Cycle: Marguerite and Owen

  1. OpenThe cycleA new cycle opens under Marguerite's agenda.
  2. InterestActorMarguerite wants the back rooms of the downtown stores for her pickup points.
  3. DetectionActorOwen will approve the pickup points, keep the back rooms as stockrooms, or let a locker company into the store entrances.
  4. ObjectiveActorOwen approves, and the back rooms come to her pickup points.
  5. IntentionActorFirst lever: show Owen the delivery records, so the back rooms read as space nobody uses. It lowers the cost of approving.
  6. IntentionActorSecond lever: offer the city stores the first delivery slots of the morning. It raises the benefit of approving.
  7. Required resourcesActorThe first lever needs the delivery records.
  8. Gate passesThe cycleMarguerite holds them.
  9. Required resourcesActorThe second lever needs the morning slots.
  10. Gate passesThe cycleShe holds them, since she sets the route. Owen has heard neither lever yet.
  11. ExecutionActorAt her meeting with Owen, Marguerite takes him through the records.Spent: the delivery records
  12. ExecutionActorIn the same conversation she offers the city stores the first slots of the morning. Written the other way around, the record would be the same.Spent: the morning slots
  13. PerceptionTargetWith both levers in, Owen reads approving as netting above the stockrooms and the lockers alike, as the play projected.
  14. SelectionTargetOwen approves the pickup points.
  15. OutcomeThe cycleThe city back rooms become pickup points served by Marguerite's vans.
  16. Obtained utilityTargetOwen's city stores take their deliveries before opening, and customers come through the door to collect.
  17. CloseThe cycleThe maneuver closes.
  18. Flow backActorMarguerite holds what she opened the cycle for.Returned: the back rooms of the downtown stores, for her pickup points

Imogen's maneuver, two levels deep, as the record keeps it

Illustrative. The people and the hospital network are invented. Each row is one entry in the record, in the order it was written; each sub-cycle sits under the escalation that opened it. Open the cycle with Selim, then the cycle with Ngozi inside it, to see them run.

Cycle: Imogen and Bram

  1. OpenThe cycleA new cycle opens under Imogen's agenda.
  2. InterestActorImogen wants the budget for outpatient orthopedic surgery at Westbrook and the authority over its schedule.
  3. DetectionActorBram will move the outpatient cases to Westbrook, keep them at the main hospital behind protected block time, or contract them to the private surgical center.
  4. ObjectiveActorBram moves the outpatient cases to Westbrook, and the budget and the authority come to Imogen.
  5. IntentionActorFirst lever, against protected block time: show Bram that the main hospital's outpatient cases are the ones emergencies bump.
  6. IntentionActorSecond lever, against the private center: show Bram that Westbrook can run the schedule safely with the network's own anesthesiologists.
  7. Required resourcesActorThe first lever needs the operating room cancellation records and Imogen's standing with Bram.
  8. Gate passesThe cycleImogen holds both.
  9. ExecutionActorImogen takes Bram through a year of canceled outpatient cases.Spent: the cancellation recordsSpent: her standing with Bram
  10. PerceptionTargetBram reads protected block time as a promise the emergency department will keep breaking.
  11. Required resourcesActorThe second lever needs the anesthesia department's written commitment to cover the Westbrook schedule.
  12. Gate failsThe cycleImogen does not hold the commitment.
  13. EscalateThe cycleBram's cycle waits at its gate, with the first lever played and read. Nothing Imogen holds is spent.

    Sub-cycle: Imogen and Selim · 17 entries

    1. OpenThe cycleA sub-cycle opens under the second lever.
    2. InterestActorImogen wants exactly the written cover commitment the cycle above lacked.
    3. DetectionActorSelim will commit his anesthesiologists to the Westbrook schedule, or keep them at the main hospital.
    4. ObjectiveActorSelim commits cover in writing.
    5. IntentionActorShow Selim that Westbrook's recovery area will be staffed by nurses trained in recovery care until the last patient goes home.
    6. Required resourcesActorWestbrook nursing's commitment to staff recovery that way on every surgery day.
    7. Gate failsThe cycleNgozi holds that commitment; Imogen does not.
    8. EscalateThe cycleThis cycle waits at its gate too. The cycle above is untouched.

      Sub-cycle: Imogen and Ngozi · 14 entries

      1. OpenThe cycleA second sub-cycle opens, under the recovery lever.
      2. InterestActorImogen wants exactly the recovery staffing commitment the cycle above lacked.
      3. DetectionActorNgozi will commit trained nurses to recovery on surgery days, or keep her nurses on the inpatient floors.
      4. ObjectiveActorNgozi commits the nurses.
      5. IntentionActorOffer to pay for recovery training for Westbrook nurses out of the surgical services budget.
      6. Required resourcesActorThe unallocated training funds in Imogen's budget.
      7. Gate passesThe cycleImogen holds them.
      8. ExecutionActorImogen puts the training offer to Ngozi.Spent: the training funds
      9. PerceptionTargetNgozi reads the offer as a new skill on her units at no cost to her budget.
      10. SelectionTargetNgozi commits the nurses.
      11. OutcomeThe cycleRecovery at Westbrook is staffed for every surgery day.
      12. Obtained utilityTargetNgozi gains trained nurses she did not have to pay to train.
      13. CloseThe cycleThe deepest cycle closes.
      14. Flow backActorImogen holds the recovery staffing commitment.Returned: the recovery staffing commitment
    9. ResumeThe cycleThe cycle with Selim picks up at its gate.
    10. Gate passesThe cycleImogen now holds the recovery staffing commitment.
    11. ExecutionActorThe staffing commitment goes to Selim.Spent: the recovery staffing commitment
    12. PerceptionTargetSelim reads recovery at Westbrook as safe for his patients.
    13. SelectionTargetSelim commits his anesthesiologists to the Westbrook schedule.
    14. OutcomeThe cycleCover is committed in writing.
    15. Obtained utilityTargetSelim's anesthesiologists get fixed block time the emergency department cannot take from them.
    16. CloseThe cycleThe sub-cycle closes.
    17. Flow backActorImogen holds the cover commitment.Returned: the written cover commitment
  14. ResumeThe cycleBram's cycle picks up at the gate where it stopped.
  15. Gate passesThe cycleImogen now holds the cover commitment.
  16. ExecutionActorThe Westbrook staffing plan goes to Bram with anesthesia's commitment attached.Spent: the written cover commitment
  17. PerceptionTargetBram reads Westbrook as offering what the private center offers, with the income kept inside the network.
  18. SelectionTargetBoth levers read, Bram moves the outpatient cases to Westbrook.
  19. OutcomeThe cycleOutpatient orthopedics moves to Westbrook, on Imogen's budget.
  20. Obtained utilityTargetBram gets the main operating rooms back for emergency work and keeps the outpatient income in the network.
  21. CloseThe cycleThe maneuver closes.
  22. Flow backActorImogen holds what she opened the cycle for.Returned: the Westbrook budgetReturned: the authority over its schedule

Saoirse's maneuver, as the record keeps it

Illustrative. The people and the university are invented. Each row is one entry in the record, in the order it was written. Both levers are declared and both gates fail before Ewan hears anything; the two sub-cycles run one after the other. The second lever's gate fails and is never tested again: it is set aside after its resource has come back, and that resource is still held at the close.

Cycle: Saoirse and Ewan

  1. OpenThe cycleA new cycle opens under Saoirse's agenda.
  2. InterestActorSaoirse wants the budget for a part-time master's degree in power systems engineering, starting next fall, and the authority to admit its students.
  3. DetectionActorEwan will approve the degree for next fall under engineering, defer it to the next academic planning round, or approve only a short summer course with no degree attached.
  4. ObjectiveActorEwan approves the degree for next fall, and the approval brings its budget and admissions to her college.
  5. IntentionActorFirst lever: show Ewan the first cohort is filled before the degree is advertised, through the grid operator's sponsorship of a full cohort.
  6. IntentionActorSecond lever: show Ewan the senate will hear the degree in the spring without a quarrel, through the programs committee chair's written agreement.
  7. Required resourcesActorFor the first lever: the operator's signed sponsorship commitment and her standing with Ewan.
  8. Gate failsThe cycleFor the first lever: Saoirse holds her standing with Ewan and does not hold the signed commitment.
  9. Required resourcesActorFor the second lever: Anneliese's written agreement to put the degree on the committee's spring agenda.
  10. Gate failsThe cycleFor the second lever: she does not hold the agreement. The whole bill is known, and Ewan has heard nothing.
  11. EscalateThe cycleSaoirse chooses to go after the commitment first. The cycle with Ewan waits.

    Sub-cycle: Saoirse and Desmond · 14 entries

    1. OpenThe cycleA sub-cycle opens under the first lever.
    2. InterestActorSaoirse wants exactly the signed sponsorship commitment the parent lacked.
    3. DetectionActorDesmond will sign for a full first cohort, decline, or offer a few seats with nothing signed until the operator's next budget.
    4. ObjectiveActorDesmond signs for a full first cohort.
    5. IntentionActorWalk Desmond through which of his vacant roles in grid protection and network planning the degree's graduates would fill.
    6. Required resourcesActorHer standing with Desmond.
    7. Gate passesThe cycleShe holds the standing.
    8. ExecutionActorThe case goes to Desmond.Spent: her standing with Desmond
    9. PerceptionTargetDesmond reads the degree as an answer to vacancies he has been unable to fill from outside.
    10. SelectionTargetDesmond signs.
    11. OutcomeThe cycleThe sponsorship commitment is signed.
    12. Obtained utilityTargetDesmond gains a supply of engineers he will not have to recruit.
    13. CloseThe cycleThe sub-cycle closes.
    14. Flow backActorThe commitment comes back to Saoirse.Returned: the signed commitment
  12. ResumeThe cycleControl returns to the cycle with Ewan. Saoirse holds the commitment.
  13. Gate passesThe cycleFor the first lever: she holds the commitment and her standing with Ewan. She leaves the lever unplayed for now.
  14. EscalateThe cycleFor the second lever, whose gate has stood failed since before the first sub-cycle opened. The first lever waits, passed and unplayed.

    Sub-cycle: Saoirse and Anneliese · 14 entries

    1. OpenThe cycleA sub-cycle opens under the second lever.
    2. InterestActorSaoirse wants exactly Anneliese's written agreement to a spring hearing.
    3. DetectionActorAnneliese will agree in writing to a spring hearing, refuse so the degree waits for the fall cycle, or agree only if the provost asks the committee formally.
    4. ObjectiveActorAnneliese agrees in writing to a spring hearing.
    5. IntentionActorShow Anneliese that most of the degree is assembled from courses the senate has already approved.
    6. Required resourcesActorThe college's map of the degree's courses against the senate's approvals, and her standing with Anneliese.
    7. Gate passesThe cycleShe holds both.
    8. ExecutionActorThe course map goes to Anneliese.Spent: the course mapSpent: her standing with Anneliese
    9. PerceptionTargetAnneliese reads the degree as mostly approved material and a light hearing.
    10. SelectionTargetAnneliese agrees. As chair she also writes to Ewan's office in the committee's name, asking him to let the degree be heard in the spring.
    11. OutcomeThe cycleThe written agreement is given, and the committee's own request has gone to the provost.
    12. Obtained utilityTargetAnneliese gains a hearing the committee asked for on its own terms, without being hurried by the provost.
    13. CloseThe cycleThe sub-cycle closes.
    14. Flow backActorThe agreement comes back to Saoirse.Returned: Anneliese's written agreement
  15. ResumeThe cycleControl returns to the cycle with Ewan. Saoirse holds the agreement.
  16. Moot leverActorThe committee has told Ewan itself that it wants the spring hearing. Saoirse judges the second lever's work done and sets it aside before its gate is tested again. Nothing is spent or returned.Held: Anneliese's written agreement
  17. ExecutionActorThe sponsorship case goes to Ewan.Spent: the signed commitmentSpent: her standing with Ewan
  18. PerceptionTargetEwan reads the first cohort as filled before the degree is advertised, and the risk of a loss on the central budget as gone.
  19. SelectionTargetWith the first lever read and the second set aside, Ewan approves the degree for next fall under engineering.
  20. OutcomeThe cycleThe degree is approved for next fall, in the college of engineering.
  21. Obtained utilityTargetEwan gains a degree that pays for itself from its first cohort and a partnership with the region's grid operator, and the senate asked for the hearing itself.
  22. CloseThe cycleThe cycle closes.
  23. Flow backActorSaoirse holds the degree's budget and the authority to admit its first cohort.Returned: the program's budgetReturned: the authority to admit its students

Maren's maneuver, one lever at a time, as the record keeps it

Illustrative. The people and the company are invented. Each row is one entry in the record, in the order it was written; each sub-cycle sits under the escalation that opened it. Open each to see it run.

Cycle: Maren and Teodor

  1. OpenThe cycleA new cycle opens under Maren's agenda.
  2. InterestActorMaren wants ownership of the public API, with its maintenance budget.
  3. DetectionActorTeodor will move the API to platform engineering, leave each product team owning its endpoints, or hand the API to solutions engineering.
  4. ObjectiveActorTeodor moves the API to platform engineering.
  5. IntentionActorFirst lever: show Teodor what split ownership costs in incidents and engineering time.
  6. Required resourcesActorThe incident record, and the engineering hours those incidents consumed.
  7. Gate failsThe cycleMaren holds the incident record. The hours figures are Rafael's.
  8. EscalateThe cycleThe cycle waits at its gate. Nothing Maren holds is spent.

    Sub-cycle: Maren and Rafael, for the hours figures · 14 entries

    1. OpenThe cycleA sub-cycle opens under the first lever.
    2. InterestActorMaren wants exactly the hours figures the cycle above lacked.
    3. DetectionActorRafael will release the figures, or keep them inside engineering.
    4. ObjectiveActorRafael releases the figures.
    5. IntentionActorShow Rafael the figures will argue for less interrupt work on his product teams.
    6. Required resourcesActorHer standing with Rafael.
    7. Gate passesThe cycleMaren holds that standing.
    8. ExecutionActorShe makes the case to Rafael.Spent: her standing with Rafael
    9. PerceptionTargetRafael reads the request as serving his teams.
    10. SelectionTargetRafael releases the figures.
    11. OutcomeThe cycleThe hours figures are released.
    12. Obtained utilityTargetRafael gains a case for lighter on-call loads, made from outside his organization.
    13. CloseThe cycleThe sub-cycle closes.
    14. Flow backActorMaren holds the hours figures.Returned: the hours figures
  9. ResumeThe cycleThe parent picks up at its gate.
  10. Gate passesThe cycleMaren now holds both resources the first lever needs.
  11. ExecutionActorThe incident case goes to Teodor.Spent: the incident recordSpent: the hours figures
  12. Perception failsTargetTeodor accepts the costs and still prefers to leave the endpoints with the product teams: a mid-year move would put his roadmap dates at risk.
  13. IntentionActorSecond lever, declared after the failed reading: show Teodor a transition that leaves every roadmap date untouched.
  14. Required resourcesActorRafael's written agreement to the staffing plan.
  15. Gate failsThe cycleMaren does not hold the agreement.
  16. EscalateThe cycleThe cycle waits at its gate again.

    Sub-cycle: Maren and Rafael, for the staffing agreement · 14 entries

    1. OpenThe cycleA second sub-cycle opens, under the second lever, with the same target as the first.
    2. InterestActorMaren wants exactly the written agreement the cycle above lacked.
    3. DetectionActorRafael will agree to the staffing plan in writing, or decline it.
    4. ObjectiveActorRafael agrees in writing.
    5. IntentionActorTake the API's on-call rotation off his product teams from the first day.
    6. Required resourcesActorHer team's spare on-call capacity. Her standing with Rafael is already spent.
    7. Gate passesThe cycleMaren holds the capacity.
    8. ExecutionActorShe makes the offer.Spent: her team's spare on-call capacity
    9. PerceptionTargetRafael reads the offer as cutting his teams' interrupt load at once.
    10. SelectionTargetRafael agrees to the staffing plan.
    11. OutcomeThe cycleThe agreement is written.
    12. Obtained utilityTargetRafael's teams lose the on-call rotation from the first day.
    13. CloseThe cycleThe sub-cycle closes.
    14. Flow backActorMaren holds the written agreement.Returned: Rafael's written agreement
  17. ResumeThe cycleThe parent picks up at its gate.
  18. Gate passesThe cycleMaren now holds the agreement.
  19. ExecutionActorThe transition plan goes to Teodor.Spent: Rafael's written agreement
  20. Perception failsTargetTeodor accepts the roadmap is safe and now leans to solutions engineering, the team that already knows the partners.
  21. IntentionActorThird lever, declared after the second failed reading: show Teodor the partners want the API owned by the engineers who run it.
  22. Required resourcesActorA written statement from the partner council.
  23. Gate failsThe cycleOnly Philippa can convene the council and send it.
  24. EscalateThe cycleThe cycle waits at its gate a third time.

    Sub-cycle: Maren and Philippa, for the partner statement · 14 entries

    1. OpenThe cycleA third sub-cycle opens, under the third lever.
    2. InterestActorMaren wants exactly the statement the cycle above lacked.
    3. DetectionActorPhilippa will convene the council for a statement, or keep the partners out of it.
    4. ObjectiveActorPhilippa convenes the council and sends the statement.
    5. IntentionActorCommit platform engineering to brief the partner council on every API change each quarter.
    6. Required resourcesActorHer standing with Philippa.
    7. Gate passesThe cycleMaren holds that standing.
    8. ExecutionActorShe makes the commitment.Spent: her standing with Philippa
    9. PerceptionTargetPhilippa reads the briefings as the engineering access her partners have asked for, kept inside her program.
    10. SelectionTargetPhilippa convenes the council.
    11. OutcomeThe cycleThe statement is written.
    12. Obtained utilityTargetPhilippa's partners gain regular access to the API's engineers through her program.
    13. CloseThe cycleThe sub-cycle closes.
    14. Flow backActorMaren holds the partner statement.Returned: the partner council's statement
  25. ResumeThe cycleThe parent picks up at its gate.
  26. Gate passesThe cycleMaren now holds the statement.
  27. ExecutionActorThe partners' statement goes to Teodor.Spent: the partner council's statement
  28. PerceptionTargetTeodor reads the move to platform as what the partners are asking for, as the third lever projected.
  29. SelectionTargetWith every lever read, Teodor moves the API to platform engineering.
  30. OutcomeThe cycleThe API moves.
  31. Obtained utilityTargetTeodor gets fewer API incidents, roadmap dates intact and a change the partners asked for.
  32. CloseThe cycleThe maneuver closes.
  33. Flow backActorMaren holds ownership of the API and its budget.Returned: ownership of the API and its budget