# The ARPA Model is an unbuffered system An unbuffered system is extremely responsive at the cost of margin for error. [[The dependence of DARPA on high quality program managers mirrors the obsession with “talent” in other disciplines]] means that a bad apple can have a rather large effect. In general, you can see the tradeoff between responsiveness and error in many domains. In chemistry, a buffered system resists change in pH despite the addition of acids or bases that would otherwise change pH. Artificially stable systems in control theory use active control to turn a naturally unstable system into an incredibly responsive system that needs constant control input. [[Control Theory]]. **These analogies might inform strategies for mitigating downsides.** 🤔 Ideally DARPA can move quickly because the Director and Program managers are really the only two checkpoints. That means that only two failures can cause a cascade failure. A cascade failure looks like the director hiring a low-quality or megalomaniacal program manager who he trusts for reasons besides competence and provides no checks on. The *Total Information Awareness Program* in the early 2000s was an example of this. The Director pulled in a buddy as a PM, that PM went meglomaniac and started hiring his own firm to do things, which led to congressional review-worthy misspending. Over time DARPA has buffered the system more, but that has also slowed it down: using competitive grants, the tech council, and congressional oversight. ### Speculation! I’ve been treating the potential for congressional review as a bad thing but it fits with an ask forgiveness not permission model. You don’t need a lot of checks and balances if everybody knows that they will be judged in the end. There are a couple of saving graces - programs are relatively uncorrelated once they are approved. The need for uncorrelated programs would suggest that it is important that the director’s role be purely approval-based, injecting as little opinion as possible. [[DARPAs director is important]]. It suggest that we might step back and look at [[The ARPA model through the lens of checks and balances]] in a government. Maybe creating a constitution is actually a good idea? [[PARPA needs a constitution with checks and balances]] ### Related * [[The Pentagon's Brain]] <!-- #evergreen --> [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+ARPA+Model+is+an+unbuffered+system) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+ARPA+Model+is+an+unbuffered+system)