What Is Friction?
A definition and framework for understanding friction — what gets in the way of good judgment.
The Core Argument
Friction is the force that stands between where we are and where we want to be. It is what makes good judgment difficult — and what makes bad judgment likely.
We experience friction every day. It is the delay in a decision. It is the miscommunication in a team. It is the bureaucratic process that slows everything down.
But friction is not just an inconvenience. It is a systemic problem. It is the invisible force that prevents good judgment from being applied — and that creates the conditions for poor judgment to take hold.
Understanding friction is the first step to removing it.
A Definition
What we mean by "friction."
Friction is anything that makes it harder to apply good judgment — or that makes it easier to apply poor judgment.
This definition has two parts:
- Friction makes good judgment harder. It creates obstacles, delays, noise, and confusion. It makes it harder to see clearly, to think carefully, and to decide wisely.
- Friction makes poor judgment easier. It creates shortcuts, biases, and pressures. It makes it easier to rely on assumptions, to ignore evidence, and to make hasty decisions.
Friction is not neutral. It always pushes judgment in one direction or the other. And it often pushes judgment in the wrong direction.
The Acacia perspective:
Friction is not a personal failing. It is a systemic problem. It is built into the structures, processes, and cultures of organisations and systems. Understanding it requires looking at the system, not just the individuals.
The Sources of Friction
Where friction comes from.
Structural friction
The design of organisations and systems. Hierarchies, silos, reporting lines, and governance structures. These can either enable or obstruct good judgment.
Procedural friction
The rules, processes, and procedures that govern how work gets done. Too much process creates friction. Too little process also creates friction.
Behavioural friction
The habits, biases, and behaviours of individuals and groups. Cognitive biases, groupthink, confirmation bias, and other patterns that distort judgment.
Cultural friction
The norms, values, and beliefs that shape how people think and act. A culture that discourages dissent, ignores evidence, or punishes mistakes creates friction.
Informational friction
The flow of information. Silos, missing context, poor communication, and information overload all create friction.
Key insight:
These sources of friction are not separate. They interact and reinforce each other. Structural friction creates procedural friction. Procedural friction creates behavioural friction. Cultural friction makes all of them worse.
The Friction Framework
A way to think about friction systematically.
To understand friction, we need a framework. The Acacia Initiative uses a simple framework with three dimensions:
1. Where is the friction?
In what part of the system does the friction occur? Is it structural, procedural, behavioural, cultural, or informational?
2. What is the friction doing?
How does the friction affect judgment? Does it make good judgment harder or poor judgment easier? What are the specific effects?
3. What is causing the friction?
What are the root causes? What structures, processes, behaviours, or beliefs are creating the friction?
The Acacia perspective:
The friction framework is not just an analytical tool. It is a diagnostic tool. It helps us identify where to intervene — and what kind of intervention is needed.
Reading path: