The Deployed Intelligence Framework
A systematic approach to creating the optimal partnership between human talent and artificial intelligence in any professional role.
Framework Architecture
Deployed Intelligence treats human and AI capabilities as a unified pool of cognitive resources that can be systematically analyzed and strategically allocated.
A More Insightful Question
Traditional frameworks ask "Can AI do this job?". Deployed Intelligence asks "How should intelligence—human or artificial—be partnered across each cognitive step of each task?". This granular approach reveals opportunities for collaboration invisible to job-level analysis.
The Three Modes of Work
All work falls into one of three fundamental modes based on its core nature, not its job title.
Operational (ODI)
The Realm of Process
Characterized by predictable, rule-based tasks in stable environments. Ideal for AI to handle with speed and consistency.
Strategic (SDI)
The Realm of Optimization
Involves managing trade-offs and adapting known patterns to meet goals. Perfect for human-AI collaboration.
Evolutionary (EDI)
The Realm of Innovation
Requires navigating ambiguity and generating novel solutions. Primarily human-led, with AI as an inspiration tool.
The Universal Task Cycle
Every thinking task follows this universal six-step cycle. By analyzing each step, we can pinpoint exactly where to partner with AI.
1. Perceive
Gathering raw data from the environment (e.g., reading an email).
2. Interpret
Making sense of the data (e.g., understanding the request).
3. Determine
Brainstorming possible options or actions.
4. Select
Choosing the best option using judgment and values.
5. Act
Executing the chosen option (e.g., writing the reply).
6. Observe
Monitoring the outcome to learn and inform the next cycle.
The Power of Micro-Delegation
This breakdown allows you to delegate *parts* of a task, not your whole job. For example, AI can draft an email (Act), but you provide the key message (Select), making you faster and more effective.
Our Analysis Quadrants
To provide a holistic view, we analyze every task component across four key quadrants. These summaries represent the core questions our metrics are designed to answer.
Cognitive Demands
This quadrant assesses the "thinking" required for a task. We evaluate its complexity, the need for specialized expertise, and whether it requires generating new ideas versus applying existing rules.
Judgment & Sensitivity
Here, we measure what are considered the quintessentially human aspects. This includes the need for ethical reasoning, emotional intelligence, and nuanced, values-based decision-making that goes beyond pure logic.
Context & Data
This quadrant examines the information a task depends on. We analyze the type and volume of data required, and how much situational or historical context is needed for successful execution.
Operational Profile
This assesses the real-world constraints of a task. We evaluate its required speed, the potential consequences of failure, and how rigid or variable the process is each time it's performed.
A Synthesis of Proven Research
The Deployed Intelligence framework stands on the shoulders of giants. It synthesizes and extends decades of world-class research to offer a sophisticated model for the modern workplace.
Hierarchical Task Analysis
Cognitive Ergonomics
The long-established practice of breaking a complex goal (e.g., "cook a meal") into a hierarchy of sub-tasks and actions.This informs our core principle of moving beyond job titles to analyze the specific tasks that constitute real work.
The OODA Loop
Military Strategy & Cognitive Science
John Boyd's Observe-Orient-Decide-Act loop is a classic model for making decisions under pressure.This classic cycle inspires our own DI-Cycle, viewing every task not as a single event, but as an iterative process of perception, interpretation, and action.
Dual-Process Theory (System 1/2)
Cognitive Psychology
Kahneman's famous model of fast, intuitive (System 1) and slow, analytical (System 2) thinking.This provides a powerful analogy for our ODI/SDI/EDI modes, helping us map the type of "thinking" a task requires.
Decision Intelligence
Applied Data & Management Science
A modern, multi-disciplinary approach focused on improving organizational decision-making by integrating data science and behavioral science.We see DI as a practical application of these principles, providing a structured way to enhance decisions at every level.
Our Core Contribution: An Architecture-Aware Approach
While building on this rich history, Deployed Intelligence introduces a crucial, often-overlooked lens: the cognitive architecture of the intelligence itself. This is the key to unlocking true, effective human-AI partnership.
Human Statefulness
- Accumulated Experience: Rich, tacit knowledge built over years.
- Deep Context: Understands organizational history, culture, and unspoken rules.
- Persistent Relationships: Builds trust and nuance based on shared history.
- Stable Identity: Provides a foundation for long-term accountability and responsibility.
AI Statelessness (Often)
- Limited Interaction Memory: Awareness is often confined to the current conversation or context window.
- Context Must Be Re-established: Lacks inherent memory of past projects or team dynamics.
- No Inherent Relationships: Cannot build genuine rapport that persists over time without external systems.
- Functional Identity Reset: Each interaction can be like starting from scratch.
The Operational Friction
Deploying functionally stateless AI into roles that implicitly require stateful human capabilities leads to real-world problems:
- Context Fragmentation: AI makes naive decisions lacking crucial history.
- Relationship Discontinuity: Users are frustrated by having to constantly repeat information.
- Accountability Gaps: It's difficult to assign true responsibility to a system with no persistent memory of its actions.
Deployed Intelligence as the Bridge
Our framework provides the solution. DI mandates an analysis of each task's inherent statefulness requirement. This allows organizations to consciously:
- Deploy AI effectively on low-state tasks (ODI).
- Structure human-AI partnerships for high-state tasks (SDI/EDI).
- Design workflows that mitigate friction and leverage the strengths of both human and artificial cognition.
Ready to See the Framework in Action?
Apply the power of this research to your own career. Our analysis will reveal exactly where AI can amplify your capabilities and where your human intelligence remains irreplaceable.