Cargo cult

In contemporary methodological use, cargo cult refers to copying visible features of a practice while omitting something necessary for it to work. Feynman's cargo cult science emphasizes the integrity required to test ideas and disclose evidence that could undermine them. The historical analogy in the name is not a sufficient account of the societies or movements it invokes.

The useful warning is about confusing resemblance with a working explanation. A practice can look like a successful organization's routine while omitting the conditions that make it useful: relevant information, authority to act, skilled feedback, or honest reporting. Copying may be a reasonable starting hypothesis, but appearance alone cannot establish the result.

Ask what would have to happen between performing the ritual and obtaining the desired outcome. Then inspect that link and allow an unfavorable result to change the practice. Feynman's related argument concerns scientific integrity, including information that could undermine a preferred conclusion. The inherited historical metaphor should not be treated as an adequate account of the cultures it names.

When to use it

When building or iterating on products; when evaluating market opportunities; when deciding resource allocation; when scaling operations.

How it can help

Directly applicable to building, launching, and scaling products and businesses. Helps prioritize actions, identify market opportunities, and build sustainable competitive advantages.