Operator 3:

Observe

Observe represents the act of detecting, monitoring, or recognizing the state of something without altering it. It captures information about conditions, progress, or outcomes so that awareness, judgment, or future action can occur. Observation does not change the system itself—it only records or reveals what is already happening. Without clearly defining what it means to Observe, signals can be missed, decisions can be poorly informed, and critical patterns or risks may go unnoticed.

Plain-English Definition

Observe represents the act of sensing, measuring, or noticing a condition without changing it. If information is gathered but no state is altered, the step is Observe.

What Observe Does

Observe captures information about the current state. It enables awareness and understanding while leaving the system unchanged.

What Observe Is Not

Observe is not interpretation or judgment (Decision). It is not intervention (Action). It is not passive change over time (Process).

Core Characteristics

Information is collected or sensed
No state change occurs because of the step
Observation may be momentary or continuous

Examples Across Contexts

Directed (designed process): An inspector reads a gauge; a manager reviews a report
Observed (descriptive): An analyst notes that a machine temperature is rising
Natural phenomena: A sensor records rainfall; an organism detects light

How Observe Works with Other Operators

Observe often precedes Decision or Action. When observation leads to interpretation, those steps must

be represented separately.

Common Mistakes

Treating interpretation as observation
Combining Observe and Action into one step
Assuming observation causes change

Key Questions to Identify Observe

Is information being gathered without intervention?
Does the system remain unchanged?
Would the same state exist if no one observed?

Things to Remember

If awareness increases but nothing changes, it is Observe.

Canonical Definition

Observe is the act of sensing or measuring without altering state.