You Feel Systems Before You See Them
Most systems aren’t recognized immediately.
They’re felt.
Sometimes as friction.
Sometimes as flow.
Sometimes a system reveals itself through contrast.
- Something slows down.
- Something repeats.
- Something doesn’t quite make sense.
Sometimes it reveals itself through harmony.
- Something becomes easier.
- Something feels like it fits.
- Something flows more naturally.
You don’t always know why.
But something gets your attention.
Friction is the Signal
When a system is or isn’t working the way you expect, it rarely announces itself.
It often shows up as friction.
- A delay that shouldn’t be there.
- An extra step that doesn’t add value.
- A pattern that keeps repeating without explanation.
But sometimes the signal is the opposite.
- Something suddenly becomes easier.
- A task feels almost effortless.
- An experience fits you so naturally that you stop thinking about it.
Both deserve attention.
Because systems shape behavior through resistance…
and through ease.
A Real Example
In a retail pharmacy, this happens every day.
You call to ask a simple question about your medication.
Instead of reaching a person… you’re directed to leave a voicemail.
That seems reasonable. They’re probably helping someone else.
Maybe you leave a message.
Maybe you decide to call back later instead. And when you do… the same thing happens.
Eventually you leave the voicemail.
➖
Later, your phone rings.
You miss the call. A voicemail is now left for you.
The message feels longer than it needs to be. Some of it doesn’t seem related to the question you asked.
And if you still have questions… the cycle begins again.
Before you understand anything about the pharmacy’s systems…
you’re already feeling them.
The Pharmacy System Revealed
Behind that experience… is a system.
- Every incoming call is directed to voicemail.
- Each voicemail becomes a work item in a queue.
- A staff member later returns the call.
The reason the pharmacy operates this way isn’t important here.
The important part is this: The system creates something that can now be measured.
- Calls entered.
- Callbacks completed.
- Response times.
- Completion rates.
A customer’s question may take only a few seconds to answer.
But the system isn’t simply managing conversations.
It’s now also managing measurable work.
And work can’t be measured unless it’s first defined. That means systems introduce rules that determine what counts — and what doesn’t.
In this case, for a callback to count… the call must last at least 18 seconds. Because that’s how the system was designed to measure the work.
So staff behavior adapts.
Return messages become longer.
Pauses become intentional.
Time expands — not because the customer needed it…
…because the metric did.
The Same Need. A Different Feeling.
Instead of calling…
You open the pharmacy app.
Some questions are already answered.
- Your insurance is current.
- Your prescription is processing.
- Pickup is expected tomorrow.
Your question isn’t there.
So you send a message. You continue with your day.
Later, a notification from the pharmacy app appears.
Your pharmacy has replied.
The conversation now stays with the prescription. You can return to it whenever you need.
➡️ Nothing felt difficult.
➡️ Nothing demanded your attention.
The system quietly supported what you were trying to do.
That feeling is also a signal.
What You’re Sensing
At first, it feels like:
- inefficiency
- annoyance
- inconsistency
Or sometimes…
- simplicity
- confidence
- relief
Those are still surface interpretations.
What you’re actually feeling is:
A system.
And how well its design aligns with the experience you’re trying to have.
Why this Matters
By the time you recognize the system…
It has often already begun shaping how you respond.
- Workarounds exist.
- Habits have formed.
- Expectations have shifted.
The system is no longer just something you’re observing.
It is already participating.
- Shaping responses.
- Altering behavior.
- Training adaptation.
And often…
You feel that participation before you fully understand it.
The Shift
Instead of waiting to understand the system…
Start with what you feel.
Sometimes that feeling comes through friction.
- Where does friction show up?
- What keeps repeating?
- What requires constant adjustment?
Sometimes it comes through ease.
- What feels surprisingly natural?
- What have you stopped noticing?
- What quietly helps you move forward?
Those are not random moments.
They are the earliest signals that a system is already shaping your experience.
The orientation to hang with
You don’t always see the system first.
You don’t just feel broken systems.
You feel well-designed ones too.
And you also don’t always see when the system is participating.
But you do feel it. The system.
Challenge
You complete a task.
It requires three extra steps that don’t seem necessary.
Do you:
◾ follow them anyway
◾ skip them when you can
◾ create your own shortcut
What does each response tell you about the system?
The companion discussion on LinkedIn includes the MNKY Math take and is where the conversation continues.
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