Principle 6:
Process Is Passive

Plain-English Summary

Process represents change that occurs without active intervention once initiated. If something transforms on its own according to rules, physics, or system logic, it is Process—not Action.

 

What this Principle Means

​Process captures passive transformation. After initiation, no judgment, interpretation, or adjustment occurs within the step. Time, rules, or natural laws do the work.

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Why This Distinction Matters

When passive processing is mislabeled as Action, effort is misattributed and automation opportunities are hidden. This principle ensures that systems, not people, are held accountable for passive change.

 

​​What Counts as Process

Process exists when:

• A transformation continues without intervention

• Outcomes are governed by rules or physical laws

• The step cannot be sped up by human effort alone

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Concrete Examples

Human systems: System calculates totals, batch jobs run, files render.

Observed reality: Data pipeline runs while no one interacts with it.

Natural phenomena: Dough rises, chemicals react, materials cool.

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What Is Not Process

• Manual interpretation or adjustment (Action)

• Passive sensing (Observe)

• Waiting for a future time or signal (Wait / Cue)

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Mini Case: Hidden Process

A team blames slow performance on staff. Mapping reveals a long Process step where a system recalculates data overnight. The delay was inherent to the process, not execution.

 

How to Apply This Principle

1. Ask whether the step continues without intervention.

2. If yes, label it Process.

3. Separate initiation (Action) from processing (Process).

4. Do not combine interpretation or sensing into Process.

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Common Misunderstandings

• Treating all automation as Action

• Blaming people for passive system delays

• Combining waiting and processing into one step

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Quick Diagnostic Questions

• Does anything actively intervene during this step?

• Would the outcome be the same if no one watched it?

• Is this governed by rules rather than judgment?

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If You Only Remember One Thing

If change happens without intervention, it is Process.

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Canonical Statement

Process represents passive transformation governed by rules or natural law.