Tactical goals · Cascade and catchball · Component
The cascade brief
The goal as sent down, with the reasoning behind it — not just the number, because a team cannot counter-propose without knowing the problem.
The deliverable
What it is
A cascade that sends only the number produces compliance rather than commitment. The team can accept it or object to it, but cannot improve it.
Sending the reasoning is what makes the counter-proposal possible, and the counter-proposal is where the useful information lives.
One level in
What it is made of
Each element is a constituent part of the component. Follow one to see the attributes it carries.
The constraints
What is fixed and what is open to negotiation.
3 attributes: Fixed · Negotiable · Response due
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If everything in the constraints is marked fixed, the negotiation is theatre and the team will treat it as one.
The other components in cascade and catchball
The counter-proposals
What each team said it could commit to, and what it would need — the half of the cascade that carries the new information.
LearnThe agreed commitment
The final version, with a record of what changed during the negotiation — a commitment rather than a target.
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