Meta-Pattern Recognition
Find patterns in how patterns emerge.
[GOAL]
Extract universal principles from patterns appearing across multiple domains.
[CONTEXT]
Core principle: When the same pattern appears in 3+ domains, it's probably universal.
Use when:
- •Noticing the same pattern in 3+ different places
- •Experiencing déjà vu in problem-solving
- •"Haven't we done something like this?"
- •Reinventing wheels across domains
[PROCESS]
- •Spot repetition - See same shape in 3+ places
- •Extract abstract form - Describe independent of any domain
- •Identify variations - How does it adapt per domain?
- •Check applicability - Where else might this help?
[EXAMPLES]
| Pattern Appears In | Abstract Form | Where Else? |
|---|---|---|
| CPU/DB/HTTP/DNS caching | Store frequently-accessed data closer | LLM prompt caching, CDN |
| Network/storage/compute layering | Separate concerns into abstraction levels | Architecture, organization |
| Message/task/request queuing | Decouple producer from consumer with buffer | Event systems, async |
| Connection/thread/object pooling | Reuse expensive resources | Memory management |
[WORKED EXAMPLE]
Pattern spotted: Rate limiting in API throttling, traffic shaping, circuit breakers, admission control
Abstract form: Bound resource consumption to prevent exhaustion
Variation points: What resource, what limit, what happens when exceeded
New application: LLM token budgets (same pattern - prevent context window exhaustion)
[RED FLAGS]
- •"This problem is unique" (probably not)
- •Multiple teams independently solving "different" problems identically
- •Reinventing wheels across domains
- •"Haven't we done something like this?" (yes - find it)
[IMPORTANT]
- •3+ domains = likely universal
- •Abstract form reveals new applications
- •Variations show adaptation points
- •Universal patterns are battle-tested
See Also
- •[[when-stuck]] - Dispatch to right technique
- •[[simplification-cascades]] - Find unifying abstractions