Task: Improve cybernetics documentation
This page documents a task in the Improve cybernetics documentation story. It captures the goal, current status, acceptance, and any notes or results.
Goal
Deliver three bundled documentation improvements to the cybernetics meta-layer:
- Create a standalone cybernetics summary page
(
doc/meta/cybernetics.org) that explains what cybernetics is and replaces bare Wikipedia links currently used across the repo. - Expand Cybernetic Levels (
doc/meta/cybernetic_levels.org) with a section on how ORE Studio's approach connects to and diverges from Beer's VSM, including known limitations. - Create a new Viable System Model knowledge page
(
doc/meta/viable_system_model.org) introducing Beer's five systems and linking to Cybernetic Levels.
Status
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| State | DONE |
| Parent story | Improve cybernetics documentation |
| Now | Nothing. |
| Waiting on | — |
| Next | — |
| Last touched | 2026-05-29 |
Acceptance
[ ]doc/meta/cybernetics.orgcreated as a v2 knowledge doc; covers what cybernetics is, key ideas (feedback, regulation, variety), Stafford Beer's contribution, and how it informs ORE Studio.[ ]doc/meta/viable_system_model.orgcreated as a v2 knowledge doc; introduces the five VSM systems and the 3* audit channel; links to Cybernetic Levels.[ ]doc/meta/cybernetic_levels.orgexpanded: new section on where ORE Studio's mapping aligns with and departs from canonical VSM, including known limitations.[ ]Existing Wikipedia cybernetics links replaced with in-repo id-links.[ ]doc/meta/meta.orgindex updated to list both new pages.
Plan
(Transient implementation strategy. Written when work starts;
distilled into the parent story's * Decisions and cleared when the
task closes. Plans do not outlive their task.)
Notes
PRs
Review
| # | Comment summary | File | Decision | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goal section contains template placeholder text | task_implement_cybernetics_docs.org l.23 |
Accepted | Fixed in ca391ff52 |
| 2 | State mismatch: task BACKLOG vs story task table STARTED | task_implement_cybernetics_docs.org l.33 |
Accepted | Fixed in ca391ff52 |
| 3 | Acceptance section empty | task_implement_cybernetics_docs.org l.38 |
Accepted | Fixed in ca391ff52 |
| 4 | Typo: it's → its in agile.org |
agile.org l.44 |
Accepted | Fixed in 5bc43236a |
| 5 | Bold formatting: *S3* as independent audit* — unmatched asterisk |
cybernetic_levels.org l.214 |
Accepted | Fixed in 5bc43236a |
| 6 | Section reference Connection and limitations wrong title |
cybernetics.org l.87 |
Accepted | Fixed in 5bc43236a |