Artists vs Soldiers
Different teams for exploration vs execution. Don't confuse them.
| Artists (Explore) | Soldiers (Execute) |
|---|---|
| Divergent thinking | Convergent thinking |
| Hypothesis-driven | Delivery-driven |
| High uncertainty tolerance | Predictability focus |
| Sprints, experiments | Implementation projects |
| "What if?" | "Ship it" |
Why This Matters
Organizations fail when they:
- Ask artists to execute (leads to endless iteration)
- Ask soldiers to explore (leads to premature convergence)
The same team rarely excels at both. Structure your work accordingly.
How Substantial Operates
- Strategy/Build Sprints: Artist mode - divergent, experimental
- Implementation Projects: Soldier mode - convergent, disciplined
- Incubator Advisory: Teaching organizations to run their own artist teams
Contrarian To
"Our dev team can figure out AI on the side"