No. 162 · Work · Biology
Replication
Copying lets one success spread far, and it spreads the flaws just as faithfully.
In the Almanac
“Gutenberg’s Bible”, c. 1455 · “Aravind Eye Care”, 1976
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
Get the AlmanacQuestions
What is Replication?
Replication is the process of copying or reproducing something, from DNA to books to business models. Gutenberg's identical printed pages let ideas spread consistently, and Aravind Eye Care copied an efficient surgery model across many hospitals.
How do you use Replication?
Use it when you find something that works. Turn your best work into a template, copy proven money habits before tweaking them, and model the behaviour you want your family to repeat. But test before you multiply, because a faithful copy spreads hidden errors just as faithfully as strengths.
When does Replication matter?
Replication is one of the 43 mental models for work, the situations where you ask: How do I get the right things done? Within that, it belongs to “Organising the work”, alongside Algorithms, Boots on the Ground and Cargo Cult.
What is an example of Replication?
Two stories show it at work: Gutenberg’s Bible (c. 1455) and Aravind Eye Care (1976). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Replication?
Replication Crisis, Economies of Scale and Garbage In Garbage Out. Replication itself comes from biology.