---
title: The Designer's Seat
slug: designers-seat
url: https://templeton.host/lexicon/designers-seat/
type: defined-term
inDefinedTermSet: https://templeton.host/lexicon
author: Andrew Templeton
---

# The Designer's Seat

## Definition

The position of designing the game rather than playing it. Every multi-agent system is a game. You can optimize your moves within existing rules (playing), or you can choose the rules so that the equilibrium of self-interested behavior is your desired outcome (designing). The CTO's job is the second one.

## Why this term exists

Two jobs look identical from outside: optimizing your moves within existing rules, and choosing the rules so that the equilibrium IS your desired outcome. The second one is the job.

## See also

- [Designed Convergence](https://templeton.host/frameworks/designed-convergence)
- [Autonomy State Machine](https://templeton.host/lexicon/autonomy-state-machine)

Canonical URL: https://templeton.host/lexicon/designers-seat/