Definitionv1

Bus factor: the number of people who would need to be

Bus factor: the number of people who would need to be suddenly unavailable for a project or system to stall, used as a measure of system resilience and individual dependency risk

Why This Is a Definition

This definition establishes 'bus factor' by naming the term, identifying its genus (measure of dependency), and specifying its differentia (number of people whose unavailability would halt progress). It clearly distinguishes this concept from other measures of team capability and precisely defines how it functions as an indicator of system vulnerability.

Source Lessons

L-0535

Under-delegation warning signs

Holding too much yourself creates bottlenecks, burnout, and prevents others (and systems) from developing capability.

Connections

Defines (60)

AxiomWorking Memory Capacity Limit AxiomExponential Information Decay AxiomCognitive Defusion: Thoughts Are Objects AxiomExtended Cognition Thesis AxiomDirected Attention as Depletable Resource AxiomHindsight Bias and Calibration Necessity AxiomHabits as Context-Response Associations AxiomTwo-Level Metacognitive Architecture AxiomIllusion of Explanatory Depth AxiomExpertise Transforms Perceptual Chunking AxiomDual Coding Theory: Verbal and Visual Channels AxiomConversational Memory Asymmetry From Production Planning AxiomUltradian and Circadian Cognitive Rhythms AxiomSystematic Overconfidence Taxonomy AxiomEmotion as Systematic Cognitive Modulator AxiomGlucose-Cognition Dependency Threshold AxiomMeaning as Receiver Construction AxiomBias Blind Spot Asymmetry AxiomCognition Operates Through Dual Processing Systems AxiomCognitive and Affective Empathy Are Distinct AxiomLooping Effects of Human Classification AxiomAutomatic Pattern Perception AxiomHierarchical Chunking Expands Capacity AxiomConstrual Level Effects on Perception AxiomPiagetian Equilibration Through Schema Dynamics AxiomPeople interpret failure as either evidence about their AxiomHumans have a fundamental drive to evaluate their own AxiomWhen estimating future task duration, people naturally adopt AxiomHuman beings make decisions under conditions of incomplete AxiomHumans exhibit automation complacency — reducing monitoring PrincipleProcess inbox items in two distinct passes—first clarifying PrincipleWhen delegating to AI systems, maintain human capability to PrincipleIdentify tasks where you are a single point of failure (bus PrincipleDelegate tasks at 70% of your quality level when adequate PrincipleConsolidate all agent status information onto a single PrincipleBenchmark efficiency, accuracy, and quality dimensions PrincipleWhen designing cognitive agents, examine the full pattern PrincipleMake context switching costs visible through deliberate PrincipleBlock your measured peak attention hours on your calendar as PrincipleConduct periodic authority audits by listing every source PrincipleUse the 'five whys' technique on any significant energy PrincipleBuild energy systems through sequential single-component PrincipleTreat energy depletion patterns as leading indicators of PrincipleConduct functional analysis before attempting extinction by PrincipleUse external systems (AI, writing, trusted others) to assess PrincipleRespond to emotional bids (small implicit requests for PrincipleAttribute success to process rather than talent to preserve PrincipleEmbed learning capacity into the system itself rather than PrinciplePeriodically surface process schemas by extracting embedded PrincipleAssign decision authority to the lowest level with PrincipleLeverage tacit team knowledge about individual strengths,PrincipleAggregate predictions by confidence level and compare stated PrincipleCognitive offloading must become an automatic daily habit PrincipleDocument not only what tools you use but the complete PrincipleTest AI interactions for cognitive extension versus PrincipleTest each candidate classification dimension by asking PrincipleAllocate attention only to tasks where your unique judgment,PrincipleScore tasks on three dimensions — irreversibility (cost of PrincipleSpecify every delegation with five components: concrete PrincipleVerify habit automaticity by checking whether the behavior

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