Agency

I think that one of the unintended consequences of our near-obsession with data has been a massive dilution of agency - our ability to direct our actions based on our judgement at the time.

I've been very aware recently of the number of reports and reviews in areas from healthcare to farming where the actions of those doing the work have been the subject of endless analysis by those who do not. Sometimes, as in the case of corruption in the police force or the care of children in care, the reports are vital, whereas in others - an analysis of the nature of farming by academics - seems, well, academic.

We seem to have arrived at a point where nothing is confirmed until we have evidence for it. There are two obvious problems with this for me. Firstly, the analysis is, by definition, retrospective, and secondly, it is a third-party perspective. It is valuable information for feedback but rarely for judgement. 

Situational awareness is primarily personal. What John Boyd started with his OODA…