Principle 19:
Learning Is Role-Relative

Summary

What you need to learn – and how deeply – depends on your role in relation to the Unit of Effort. FLOW recognizes that different roles require different learning depths, speeds, and perspectives to act effectively on the same Unit of Effort. Learning is not uniform; it’s contextual to your proximity, responsibility, and decision authority.

 

Examples

• A logistics analyst handling a FLOW B procurement effort needs detailed knowledge of supply routes and vendor reliability.

• A program manager overseeing that same procurement only needs summary-level risk, status, and escalation triggers.

• A contracting officer may need legal and compliance insight without digging into logistical minutiae.

Same Unit of Effort. Different FLOW-aligned learning needs based on role.

 

Common Mistakes

• Assuming everyone must learn the same content to support the same Unit of Effort

• Overtraining or undertraining roles due to a lack of FLOW classification.

• Applying standardized learning tracks regardless of complexity or scale.

 

Red Flags

• Everyone in a team is trained identically but performs different roles.

• Decision-makers are overwhelmed with detail while operators are unclear on key priorities.

• Learning resources are too shallow or too deep for the Unit’s FLOW level.

 

Key Diagnostic Questions

• What FLOW level is this Unit of Effort?

• What is my role relative to this Unit of Effort?

• What judgements or decisions am I expected to make?

• What depth of understanding is required to support, lead, or approve this effort?

 

Local Application Prompts

• Define a Unit of Effort you’re involved in. Then write what you need to learn about it – and what others in different roles should learn.

• Redesign a training or onboarding process to reflect FLOW-relative learning.

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Alignment Risks

• Overgeneralized training programs lead to knowledge gaps or wasted time.

• In complex environments, failure to distinguish roles causes poor handoffs and redundant learning.

 

System Design Anchors

• Build modular learning materials by FLOW level and audience role.

• Tag lessons by roles (FLOW A Buyers, Acquisition supervisors, etc.)

• Implement adaptive learning based on role + FLOW classification.

 

Role Implications

Frontline Operators: Need hands-on tools, examples, and SOPs tied to FLOW A/B

Mid-Level Managers: Need FLOW C summaries with escalation paths.

Leaders and Strategists: Need FLOW D/S framing, impact logic, and decision layers.