Coherence.
The degree to which intent, action, and outcome stay aligned across a system over time.
April 28, 2026·1 min read·Cinquelli
Coherence is the degree to which intent, action, and outcome remain aligned across a system as it scales, adapts, and absorbs new information.
It is not the same as alignment, which is a static agreement at a moment in time. Coherence is dynamic — it holds under change. A coherent organization can absorb new strategy, new tools, and new people without losing the thread between what it intends and what it produces.
Loss of coherence is rarely catastrophic in a single event. It accumulates as friction: contradictory priorities, decisions that get re-litigated, work that gets done twice or not at all.