The Outset Stack
How beginnings stack and shape outcomes
Outsets are not isolated. They typically stack in practice. Upstream layers condition downstream layers. This is why Outset Design prioritizes upstream clarity: leverage is highest where options are still open.
Stack layers
Cognitive outset
Framing, assumptions, defaults
Framing, assumptions, defaults
↓
Normative outset
Legitimacy, principles, red lines
Legitimacy, principles, red lines
↓
Commitment outset
Agreements, obligations, lock-ins
Agreements, obligations, lock-ins
↓
Structural outset
Governance, incentives, control surfaces
Governance, incentives, control surfaces
↓
Temporal outset
Sequencing, irreversibility, compounding
Sequencing, irreversibility, compounding
FDP as a canonical instance
Fair Deal Policy (FDP) is a canonical application of Outset Design focused on fairness and pre-commitment. In Outset Stack terms, FDP operates primarily at the Normative and Commitment layers, and informs the Structural layer.
What the stack is for
The stack is a shared lens for diagnosing where failures originate, choosing where to intervene upstream, and making commitments responsibly before lock-in.
