Understanding many domains is valuable because the deepest patterns rarely stay inside one industry. Components, interfaces, flows, constraints, incentives, and feedback show up in software, organizations, markets, media, physical systems, and personal operating systems alike.
The practical advantage is not superficial breadth. It is faster pattern recognition, better translation between specialists, more realistic design choices, and a stronger ability to see where systems will fail, stall, or compound.
When you study many substrates seriously, you stop confusing the local vocabulary for the underlying structure. That makes it easier to ask better questions:
- What are the actual components here?
- Where are the interfaces, and how strict are they?
- What is flowing through the system: money, data, attention, energy, trust, inventory, or decisions?
- What are the real constraints?
- Who is rewarded, penalized, blocked, or ignored?
- What feedback loops reinforce behavior or force correction?
That lens helps in two directions at once. It helps break unfamiliar systems into understandable parts, and it helps reuse durable patterns from one domain in another without pretending the domains are identical.
Why This Kind Of Breadth Matters
- It improves transfer learning. A lesson from routing, marketplaces, or team design can often unlock a problem somewhere else.
- It makes coordination easier. Cross-domain thinkers are often better at translating between specialists who each see only one layer clearly.
- It reduces naive design mistakes. People who have seen enough systems tend to respect constraints, incentives, and operating costs earlier.
- It creates better judgment under uncertainty. When exact precedent is missing, analogies across substrates become a practical advantage.
- It supports better building, not just better analysis. Seeing the shared structure across domains makes it easier to compose systems that are legible and durable.
Domain Library
The pages below are not meant to claim mastery of every field. They are meant to show the kinds of systems Michael studies and the recurring questions he looks for inside each one.
Physical And Infrastructure Substrates
These domains make system behavior concrete. They force attention to physical limits, signal integrity, resource constraints, and interfaces that have to work in the real world, not just on a whiteboard.
- LEGO ecosystems
- Radio systems
- Mechanical systems
- Pro audio/visual systems
- Electrical engineering systems
- Compute hardware systems
- Networking hardware systems
- Manufacturing Systems
- Construction Systems
Software, Compute, And Platform Systems
These domains are where composition, abstraction, automation, and failure-handling become explicit. They are especially useful for learning how modular systems evolve under change.
- Open source ecosystems
- Linux systems
- AWS/cloud systems
- IT systems
- Software development systems
- Distributed systems
- Kubernetes systems
- Storage systems
- TCP/IP networking systems
- Routing systems (BGP, etc.)
- Infrastructure as Code systems
- Full-stack application systems
- CI/CD systems
- API systems
- Identity and access management systems
- Authentication/authorization systems
- Security systems
- Observability systems
- Platform ecosystems
- Standards and protocol systems
- Security & Permission Systems
- Reliability Engineering Systems (SLI/SLO/SLA)
Data, Analytics, And AI Systems
These domains are about turning raw signals into usable decisions. They make timing, lineage, quality, privacy, and interpretation visible in ways that are easy to underestimate until something breaks.
- Data warehousing systems
- Data lake / lakehouse systems
- ETL / ELT systems
- Streaming systems
- Data modeling systems
- Data quality systems
- Data lineage systems
- GIS / geospatial systems
- Data privacy/compliance systems
- Dataset productization systems
- Data monetization systems
- Machine learning systems
- Feature engineering systems
- Model serving systems
- AI inference systems
- Human-in-the-loop systems
- Adtech data flow systems
- Data Product Systems
- Geospatial Systems
- Event Processing Systems
- Similarity & Clustering Systems
- Query Optimization Systems
Organizations, Coordination, And Market Systems
These domains deal with people, capital, incentives, execution, and institutional behavior. They are useful because they show that structure and motivation matter just as much as tools.
- Startup/company building systems
- Project management systems
- Team systems
- Adtech ecosystems
- Finance/accounting systems
- Marketplace systems
- Pricing systems
- Revenue sharing systems
- Capital formation systems
- Operational scaling systems
- Customer lifecycle systems
- Organizational design systems
- Governance systems
- Communication systems (organizational)
- Talent systems
- Multi-project coordination systems
- Task prioritization systems
- Proposal systems
- Feedback loop systems
- FinOps Systems
- Alignment Systems
- Multi-Entity / Multi-Venture Systems
- Operational Visibility Systems
- Capital Systems
- Deal Structuring Systems
- Venture Lifecycle Systems
- ERP / Entity Management Systems
- Real Estate Systems
Media, Knowledge, And Meaning Systems
These domains show how information becomes understanding, trust, and action. They matter because systems are not only built out of hardware and code, but also out of stories, symbols, and shared mental models.
- Knowledge management systems
- Content production systems
- Distribution systems (media)
- Brand systems
- Audience segmentation systems
- Narrative systems
- Course creation systems
- Progressive disclosure systems
- Knowledge Systems (Enterprise / Second Brain Systems)
- Documentation Systems
- System Design Methodology
- Knowledge Architecture Systems
- Taxonomy & Classification Systems
Personal And Human Systems
These domains focus on the individual and relational layer: time, energy, trust, identity, choices, and capacity. They matter because every larger system eventually depends on human sustainability and judgment.
- Personal knowledge systems
- Pattern extraction systems
- Personal sustainability systems
- Health tracking systems
- Decision-making systems
- Relationship systems
- Community systems
How To Use This Section
Read laterally, not just vertically. The point is less about any single domain page than about the repeated structure that appears across many of them.
If you want the shorter route into the broader philosophy first, pair this section with About, Work & Ventures, and Start Here.
- Adtech data flow systems Pipelines move user, context, and bidding data through intermediaries to enable real-time advertising decisions. 2
- Adtech ecosystems Real-time auction-based systems route user data through intermediaries to match advertisers with impressions under latency, targeting, and compliance constraints. 5
- AI inference systems Compute systems are optimized for executing trained models efficiently at scale. 2
- Alignment Systems Systems ensure stakeholders such as partners, teams, and investors share a common understanding of goals, roles, timelines, and outcomes. 61
- API systems Defined interfaces expose functionality or data between systems so modular integration and interoperability are possible. 3
- Audience segmentation systems Methods group users by attributes or behavior so messaging, products, or experiences can be tailored. 1
- Authentication/authorization systems Mechanisms verify identity and enforce permissions across applications and infrastructure. 1
- AWS/cloud systems On-demand, API-driven infrastructure is composed from modular services with explicit cost models, enabling scalable architectures through composition, isolation, and elasticity. 43
- Brand systems Coherent identity frameworks define messaging, visuals, and positioning over time. 11
- Capital formation systems Structures aggregate and allocate financial resources into ventures, projects, and assets. 7
- Capital Systems Structures raise, allocate, and manage capital across ventures, including funds, syndications, and investor relationships. 7
- CI/CD systems Automated pipelines build, test, and deploy software changes continuously to preserve reliability and speed of iteration. 2
- Communication systems (organizational) Channels and protocols enable information flow between individuals and teams. 6
- Community systems Groups organized around shared goals or interests coordinate through norms, incentives, roles, and communication. 12
- Compute hardware systems Physical machines such as CPUs, GPUs, memory, and storage execute instructions under constraints of heat, power, and architecture-level parallelism. 14
- Construction Systems Systems coordinate projects, resources, timelines, and costs in the building of physical infrastructure. 2
- Content production systems Processes create, edit, review, and package media assets at scale. 21
- Course creation systems Frameworks structure and deliver educational content in modular, progressive formats. 4
- Customer lifecycle systems Frameworks manage acquisition, onboarding, retention, and expansion of customers over time. 4
- Data lake / lakehouse systems Storage layers retain raw and structured data at scale while bridging analytical and operational workloads. 30
- Data lineage systems Tracking systems record the origin, transformations, and dependencies of data across pipelines and reports.
- Data modeling systems Abstract representations of entities and relationships are structured for efficient storage, querying, and interpretation. 12
- Data monetization systems Market structures exchange data as a product by aligning suppliers and consumers through pricing, packaging, and access controls. 1
- Data privacy/compliance systems Frameworks govern how data is stored, shared, and used to meet legal, contractual, and ethical expectations. 1
- Data Product Systems Pipelines and structures turn raw data into packaged, sellable, and repeatable products with defined schemas and use cases. 10
- Data quality systems Processes and tools ensure data accuracy, completeness, and consistency through validation, monitoring, and correction.
- Data warehousing systems Centralized repositories optimized for analytical queries are structured around schemas that support aggregation, reporting, and historical analysis. 45
- Dataset productization systems Raw data is turned into standardized, consumable products with defined schemas, documentation, and delivery mechanisms. 1
- Deal Structuring Systems Systems define how agreements are formed, how value is split, and how incentives are aligned between parties. 3
- Decision-making systems Structured approaches evaluate options and select actions under uncertainty. 2
- Distributed systems Multiple coordinated nodes operate under partial failure, requiring replication, coordination, and fault tolerance to deliver reliable global behavior. 26
- Distribution systems (media) Channels and strategies deliver content to target audiences across platforms and formats. 19
- Documentation Systems Structured methods turn work into reusable artifacts such as case studies, SOPs, templates, and playbooks that both operate systems and teach them. 17
- Electrical engineering systems Circuits control current and voltage to perform computation, signaling, and power distribution across components and boards. 30
- ERP / Entity Management Systems Systems model and track companies, people, projects, and finances inside a unified operational structure.
- ETL / ELT systems Pipelines extract, transform, and load data across systems while enforcing schema, quality, and timing constraints. 32
- Event Processing Systems High-throughput systems capture, store, and analyze large volumes of real-time events for analytics and decision-making. 6
- Feature engineering systems Processes transform raw data into structured inputs that are better suited for learning and inference. 8
- Feedback loop systems Mechanisms capture outcomes and feed them back into planning, adaptation, and improvement cycles. 6
- Finance/accounting systems Structured recording and reporting frameworks track assets, liabilities, revenue, and compliance across time. 5
- FinOps Systems Systems connect infrastructure usage to financial outcomes so cost, performance, and accountability can be optimized across cloud and operations. 1
- Full-stack application systems Integrated applications combine frontend interfaces, backend logic, databases, and APIs into cohesive systems. 13
- Geospatial Systems Systems model physical space using coordinates, polygons, and clustering to derive insights and build products from location data. 2
- GIS / geospatial systems Spatial systems represent and analyze location-aware data so geographic relationships can be integrated into products and decisions. 1
- Governance systems Rules and processes guide decision-making, conflict resolution, and accountability within groups. 7
- Health tracking systems Data-driven systems monitor and analyze physiological and behavioral metrics over time. 10
- Human-in-the-loop systems Automated processes incorporate human judgment to improve accuracy, safety, and outcomes. 12
- Identity and access management systems Frameworks control who can access which resources under defined policies and administrative models. 2
- Infrastructure as Code systems Declarative configurations define infrastructure state so environments can be reproduced, versioned, and managed consistently. 11
- IT systems Enterprise infrastructure manages identity, communication, storage, and security to ensure controlled access, reliability, and operational continuity. 11
- Knowledge Architecture Systems Systems define how information is structured through categories, tags, and hierarchies so it can be navigated, reused, and scaled.
- Knowledge management systems Repositories and structures store, organize, and surface information for reuse, alignment, and decision support. 32
- Knowledge Systems (Enterprise / Second Brain Systems) Systems store, structure, and expose knowledge across teams and ventures using tools like Confluence, templates, taxonomies, and governance models.
- Kubernetes systems Container orchestration platforms schedule workloads, manage service discovery, and enforce desired state across clusters of compute resources. 3
- LEGO ecosystems Standardized physical components combine via well-defined interfaces into arbitrarily complex assemblies, supported by instructions, supply chains, and a resale market that preserves value and compatibility over time. 8
- Linux systems A hierarchical, permissioned operating system manages processes, memory, and files through a kernel that enforces resource isolation, scheduling, and hardware abstraction. 35
- Machine learning systems Pipelines train models on data to produce predictive or generative outputs and improve performance through iteration. 17
- Manufacturing Systems Systems manage production, materials, workflows, and capacity in physical goods environments. 19
- Marketplace systems Platforms match supply and demand participants while enforcing rules, pricing, and trust mechanisms that enable transactions.
- Mechanical systems Physical assemblies transfer force and motion through components such as gears and actuators under constraints of energy, friction, and material properties. 19
- Model serving systems Infrastructure deploys trained models for real-time or batch inference under latency and scaling constraints. 9
- Multi-Entity / Multi-Venture Systems Structures operate multiple companies or projects in parallel with shared tooling, financial systems, and knowledge infrastructure.
- Multi-project coordination systems Frameworks manage multiple concurrent efforts with shared resources, overlapping timelines, and interdependent decisions. 22
- Narrative systems Structures organize information into stories that shape understanding, memory, and engagement. 23
- Networking hardware systems Routers, switches, and radios move packets across physical and wireless links using standardized protocols and topology-aware routing. 10
- Observability systems Monitoring, logging, and tracing systems provide visibility into behavior, performance, and failure modes. 2
- Open source ecosystems Decentralized software production is governed by licenses, contribution models, and maintainers, with reputation and utility coordinating distributed contributors around shared codebases. 21
- Operational scaling systems Processes enable organizations to grow output without proportional increases in cost or complexity. 11
- Operational Visibility Systems Dashboards and reporting systems make system state, progress, and performance visible across teams and leadership. 6
- Organizational design systems Structures define roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships to improve coordination and decision-making. 11
- Pattern extraction systems Cognitive and formal processes identify reusable structures across domains. 6
- Personal knowledge systems Tools and structures organize individual understanding and information retrieval. 26
- Personal sustainability systems Frameworks manage time, energy, commitments, and resources at the individual level. 33
- Platform ecosystems Extensible systems enable third parties to build on top of core infrastructure through APIs, standards, and governance. 4
- Pricing systems Structures determine how value is quantified and exchanged by balancing cost, demand, and perceived utility. 5
- Pro audio/visual systems Signal chains capture, process, and distribute audio and visual data in real time across consoles, amplification, and lighting control systems. 13
- Progressive disclosure systems Design approaches reveal information in layers based on user context, readiness, or need. 2
- Project management systems Structured coordination frameworks decompose goals into tasks, track dependencies, and manage execution over time using tools, priorities, and feedback cycles. 44
- Proposal systems Structures define, present, negotiate, and track potential work or deals. 7
- Query Optimization Systems Systems evaluate and optimize queries before execution to reduce cost and improve performance. 2
- Radio systems Information is transmitted through the electromagnetic spectrum using modulation, frequency allocation, and protocol layering under physical and regulatory constraints. 20
- Real Estate Systems Systems manage assets, investments, operations, and reporting across property portfolios. 4
- Relationship systems Networks of interpersonal connections are managed through communication, trust, reciprocity, and shared history. 14
- Reliability Engineering Systems (SLI/SLO/SLA) Systems define, measure, and enforce reliability targets across infrastructure and applications.
- Revenue sharing systems Mechanisms distribute income among stakeholders based on contribution, ownership, or agreement. 1
- Routing systems (BGP, etc.) Distributed decision systems determine network paths based on policy and topology, balancing reachability, performance, and control.
- Security & Permission Systems Frameworks control access to systems and data across overlapping teams, tools, and projects. 2
- Security systems Practices and controls protect systems from unauthorized access, misuse, and failure. 8
- Similarity & Clustering Systems Systems measure likeness between entities using features and distance metrics so they can drive insights, grouping, and product behavior.
- Software development systems Processes and tools build software through version control, testing, modular design, and iterative deployment to maintain reliability and evolvability. 15
- Standards and protocol systems Shared rules create interoperability between otherwise independent systems. 5
- Startup/company building systems Organizations are designed to discover and scale product-market fit by aligning capital, talent, and execution under uncertainty with staged risk and feedback loops. 65
- Storage systems Persistence layers provide durability, availability, and performance through replication, partitioning, and tiering. 11
- Streaming systems Event-driven architectures process continuous data flows in real time to support reactive systems and low-latency analytics. 5
- System Design Methodology A repeatable process identifies needs, designs scalable systems, operationalizes them, trains others, and iterates through feedback loops. 50
- Talent systems Processes source, develop, and retain people aligned with organizational needs.
- Task prioritization systems Methods rank and select work based on impact, urgency, opportunity cost, and constraints. 16
- Taxonomy & Classification Systems Frameworks organize entities, data, and knowledge using layered classification models such as categories, tags, and controlled vocabularies.
- TCP/IP networking systems Layered communication protocols define addressing, routing, and reliable data transmission across interconnected networks. 4
- Team systems Groups of individuals organized around shared objectives develop roles, communication patterns, and lifecycle stages from formation through performance and dissolution. 35
- Venture Lifecycle Systems Frameworks guide ventures from idea to validation to scaling to operation to exit or continuation. 37