A universal system for how work gets done
Operator 9:
Repeat
Repeat represents the intentional re-execution of one or more steps until a defined condition, limit, or outcome is reached. It enables controlled looping to refine results, accumulate progress, or sustain activity while change unfolds. Repeat does not alter the nature of the repeated steps; it governs how long they continue. A Repeat commonly concludes when a Cue signals that a meaningful state change has occurred. Without clearly defining a Repeat, processes can loop indefinitely, terminate prematurely, or produce inconsistent and unreliable outcomes.
Plain-English Definition
Repeat represents intentional looping of one or more steps until a condition is met. If work cycles back to a prior point, that structure must be explicitly represented as Repeat.
What Repeat Does
Repeat makes cycles visible and structural. It captures rework, iteration, feedback loops, and retries as designed or observed behavior, not as exceptions or mistakes.
What Repeat Is Not
Repeat is not a one-time correction (Action). It is not parameter variation (Option). It is not branching to
a new path (Decision).
Core Characteristics
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A defined return point exists
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A condition governs exit
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The same structure executes multiple times
Examples Across Contexts
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Directed (designed process): Iterating a review cycle until criteria are met
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Observed (descriptive): Work repeatedly sent back for adjustment
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Natural phenomena: Seasonal cycles; oscillations governed by feedback
How Repeat Works with Other Operators
Repeat typically follows Decision or Cue and loops back to Action, Observe, or Process. The exit condition must be explicit to avoid infinite ambiguity.
Common Mistakes
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Hiding loops by redrawing steps repeatedly
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Treating rework as failure instead of structure
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Omitting exit conditions
Key Questions to Identify Repeat
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Does this step or sequence occur more than once?
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Is there a defined condition for stopping?
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Would the structure be incomplete without a loop?
Things to Remember
If work cycles, the cycle must be shown.
Canonical Definition
Repeat is the explicit representation of structural looping.