The OODA methodology

The OODA (short for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop and OODA methodology was first coined by US military strategist Colonel John Boyd and was applied to help make improved decisions during combat operations. It has since become widely used within different industries and operations, and I have found it to be an extremely effective way of working with performance testing, although it has been used within software circles by a variety of individuals for a long time.

The OODA loop comprises four steps, which form its acronym. These steps are shown in the following diagram:

Figure 14.1 – The OODA loop

We can use this same loop to define a methodology that will allow us to test the performance of our applications and determine whether to take action. Let's look at these steps in more detail and how they specifically relate to the process of performance analysis.

Observe

In this first step, we take our measurements for...