Gain

Ask how much the signal grows or shrinks on one trip around the circuit. Sign tells you which direction the loop pushes; this tells you how hard, which decides whether the problem explodes in days or creeps for years.

Ask how much the signal grows or shrinks on one trip around the circuit. Sign tells you which direction the loop pushes; this tells you how hard, which decides whether the problem explodes in days or creeps for years.

Example

In the inbox loop, replying within five minutes adds roughly 15 messages to next week's 200, about 8 percent per cycle. Low gain, so the pile built over months, and a small slowdown in your reply speed is enough to reverse it.