Series the argument and the reflections
Intelligent Orchestration
The coordination layer in supply chains and operations has been human for centuries.
My belief is that it will move to systems. This forms the argument, and my reflections that follow it.
The argument
| sheet | title | type | published |
|---|---|---|---|
The Intelligent Orchestration ManifestoTwenty-three centuries of human-routed coordination, from Alexander's supply lines to the control tower - and why the constraint that made hierarchy necessary is no longer binding. The hierarchy served us well. It is time to move to the edge. | argument |
Reflections
| sheet | title | tag | published |
|---|---|---|---|
What does supply chain orchestration actually orchestrate? ↗Orchestrate inside the walls, but calibrate beyond them. | sidorecs.com | ||
Why process maps don't tell you what to delegate to an AI agent?The supply chain unit that decides agentic AI readiness. | Agentic AI |
Why this series exists
This might not be immediately obvious, but when I read historical facts and the latest business cases, I conclude that the coordination layer in supply chains and operations has existed for centuries. As I observe and experiment with the art of the possible in technology and AI, my belief strengthens daily that this layer will be delegated to systems much faster than anyone in either the enthusiast or sceptic camp is speculating. This forms the argument for Intelligent Orchestration that I'm sharing below. The reflections that follow in this series are built on it.
I've spent two decades in supply chain management across logistics, production, planning, and procurement. A major part of my career was shaped by transformation and coordination work that included maintaining information channels, calibrating processes, and orchestrating contradictions. For many initiatives, information and priorities flowed through people. Yet this is about to change soon, because the constraint has been disappearing over the past few years. Thanks to various conversations with my peers, I'm still not convinced many global companies with complex structures have really recognised what this means for their operating models and their people.
New reflections by email
One email when a piece lands. One click to leave.
Where the argument gets tested
- Orchestriq Core - evals, approvals and earned autonomy in the runtime
- OODAA - an agent loop that adjusts across runs
- Ship-Doc - fixed rules decide, a named person approves