Our History and Mission

Evolution of Our Approach

We do not replace business continuity plans or ISO standards.

Pericology did not originate from an abstract theory. It was built upon a simple observation, repeated in the field :

• Traditional risk management tools, such as business continuity plans, probability matrices, and compliance audits, are effective against known threats, but often prove ineffective against what emerges without warning.

Rather than trying to better predict the unpredictable, we observed how certain systems have always dealt with it flexibly :

• Natural ecosystems.

A forest doesn't predict fire, but it's structured to survive it and regenerate. An immune system doesn't foresee the next infection, but it's capable of detecting it early, responding locally, and building a memory for the future.

It is this logic, not of prediction, but of perception and adaptation, that we have progressively translated into principles of action for organizations.

Over time, our approach has become more refined. We stopped talking about "risk management" and focused instead on developing collective sensory awareness and reflexes. We replaced rigid scenarios with simple rules, applicable regardless of the nature of the disruption. We stopped selling solutions and instead offered concrete diagnostics, actions that can be tested in a few days, and protocols co-created with the teams.

We do not claim to invent new laws. We draw upon already established knowledge:

• Ecological resilience, studied by CS Holling as early as 1973,

• Stigmergy, described by biologist Pierre-Paul Grassé in 1959 to explain coordination in termites,

• The concept of antifragility, formalized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb,

• The work of the Santa Fe Institute on complex systems shows that responses to unpredictable environments emerge locally, without a central plan.

These sources are not cited for scholarly effect. They ground our approach in verifiable observations, not in intuitions.

Today, Pericology is an operational discipline, centered on four concrete capabilities :

• Sensing weak signals, coordinating without a heavy hierarchy, learning from every disruption, and innovating without a rigid plan.

She doesn't promise anything magical. She suggests starting with an honest question :

• Does your organization perceive dangers at their periphery, or only when they become crises ?

We have a clear method, a rigorous framework, and the willingness to test it with those who, like us, know that the unpredictable cannot be controlled, it must be cultivated.

The Etymology of Pericology

Formed from Greek and Latin roots to describe its main purpose.

The term "Pericology" is a neologism combining Greek and Latin roots to form a discipline of peripheral dangers.

• "Peri" comes from the Ancient Greek " peri , " meaning "around," " at the periphery," "that which surrounds" → peripheral perception , extended vigilance . In everyday language, we find this root in words like "perimeter" (measuring around), "periphery" (that which surrounds), or "periscope" (observing around). It expresses the idea of ​​broad surveillance, of attention paid to the entire environment, not just to direct and immediate threats.

• "Periculum" is a Latin term that translates as "danger," "risk , " "imminent peril" → object of attention : indicating a potential threat to an equilibrium, latent systemic threats. It has given rise to French words like "péril" (peril) and "périlleux" (perilous). This defines our area of ​​action :

  • the risks, dangers, and perils that can affect an organization.

• The suffix "-logy ," from the Greek " λόγος " ( logos ), means "word," "discourse," but above all "reason," "rational study," "science" → a systemic, rigorous, non-intuitive approach. This ending is used to designate a discipline of study, as in "biology" (the study of living things) or "geology" (the study of the Earth). Transforming the term into a systematic discipline focused on anticipating dangers, it indicates that we approach this issue with a structured, methodical approach based on established principles.

The literal meaning. By putting these elements together, "Pericology" literally means :

• The study of the dangers that surround us.

or more precisely :

• The discipline that focuses on the detection and anticipation of risks present in the near and far environment.

Pericology is distinguished by its specific focus on the early detection of weak signals in the organization's overall environment, before these signals become identified threats.

Why Pericology ?

Pericology remains simple. It does not complicate organizations.

Pericology exists because the world has changed.

The challenges are no longer just predictable or controllable.

Organizations are evolving in an environment where crises are becoming more frequent, more unpredictable, and more complex. Traditional risk management methods, while useful, are showing their limitations in the face of entirely new situations.

The limitations of existing approaches

Rigid plans and standardized procedures work well for known and predictable risks. However, they struggle to respond to unforeseen crises or weak signals that foreshadow significant changes.

Organizations often find that they react too late, even though the warning signs were detectable much earlier. This delay is generally not due to a lack of data, but to a difficulty in perceiving and interpreting the relevant signals within the mass of available information.

Our pragmatic response

Pericology offers a complementary approach to existing methods. We do not seek to replace what works, but to add a capacity for anticipation that is often lacking.

Our approach relies on biological mechanisms that have proven themselves in nature over very long periods. Scientific research has validated these mechanisms across several disciplines :

• CS Holling's work on ecological resilience

• Pierre-Paul Grassé's research on stigmergy

• Studies on complex systems at the Santa Fe Institute

• Applications of biomimicry documented by the Biomimicry Institute

What this changes

Pericology helps organizations develop four fundamental capabilities :

• The detection of weak signals in their environment, inspired by the peripheral vision mechanisms of the animal world.

• Autonomous team coordination, inspired by the organizational methods of social insects.

• Transforming crises into learning opportunities, inspired by the resilience mechanisms of ecosystems.

• Continuous adaptation to change, inspired by natural evolutionary processes.

  « Having never considered, in times of tranquility, that things could change, similar in this to common men who, during the calm, do not worry about the storm. »
  Nicolas Machiavel, Le Prince (1513)

Our realistic positioning

We do not present Pericology as a miracle solution. It is a developing discipline that we are gradually building with organizations that agree to test this approach with us.

Our value lies in the rigor of the transposition:

• We adapt validated biological principles to the context of organizations, without promising spectacular results, but aiming for a tangible improvement in forecasting capabilities.

Pericology is aimed at organizations that recognize the limitations of their current approaches to the unpredictable and that seek a complementary method, based on principles proven outside the business world alone.

Our Foundations

Pericology does not offer a method invented from scratch.

Pericology is based on existing and verifiable scientific work. We do not conduct basic research, but we use established knowledge to develop operational protocols.

Our main sources

We base our work on five research corpora :

• CS Holling's work on ecological resilience, which studies how ecosystems survive and transform after disturbances.

• Pierre-Paul Grassé's research on stigmergy, which explains how social insects coordinate their actions without direct communication.

• The concepts developed by Nassim Taleb on antifragility, which describe how certain systems improve in the face of shocks and uncertainty.

• The Santa Fe Institute's studies on complex systems, which analyze emergent behaviors in interconnected systems.

• The practical applications of the Biomimicry Institute, which show how to draw inspiration from living things to solve human problems.

Our working method

We study this research to identify proven biological mechanisms. We then analyze them to understand how they could be applied to the organizational context. Finally, we adapt them into concrete protocols that organizations can test and adjust according to their specific needs.

Our positioning

We do not claim to invent new theories. Our value lies in the rigor of the transposition :

• We take concepts validated by science and make them usable in organizational practice.

Each protocol we propose corresponds to a documented biological mechanism. We can clearly explain what research supports each approach and how we have adapted them.

This approach allows us to offer methods based on solid principles, while remaining transparent about their limitations and conditions of application.

We do not cite nature as mere scenery. Our approach is based on biological principles validated by research. We translate its mechanisms into organizational protocols.

Our 4 pillars

Pericology is based on four pillars that guide our work.

Each pillar corresponds to an operational way of strengthening an organization's ability to perceive, react and learn in the face of the unpredictable.

1. Peripheral vision

   We help organizations develop their ability to detect subtle signals in their environment. This concept is inspired by the way human vision works, where peripheral vision allows us to detect movements and changes outside our direct field of view. In practical terms, this translates into the implementation of extended monitoring systems and observation networks covering the entire ecosystem of the organization.

2. Stigmergic coordination

   We are working on coordination mechanisms that allow teams to organize themselves without constant recourse to hierarchy. This principle is based on Pierre-Paul Grassé's research on stigmergy, observed in social insects such as ants. In practice, this involves establishing clear protocols that allow teams to trigger coordinated actions in response to specific signals, without requiring direct orders.

3. Active Resilience

   We support organizations in their ability to transform crises into lasting learning. This approach is inspired by C.S. Holling's work on ecological resilience, which studies how ecosystems absorb disturbances and reorganize themselves. Applied to organizations, this means implementing systematic processes for post-crisis analysis and learning from experience.

4. Adaptive growth

   We work with organizations to develop their capacity to innovate and evolve organically, without relying solely on rigid plans. This pillar is based on research from the Santa Fe Institute on complex adaptive systems. In practical terms, this translates into the implementation of rapid feedback loops and mechanisms for gradual adjustment.

We do not claim to reinvent resilience. We translate, in a rigorous and operational way, principles proven by decades of research in ecology, biology, crisis management and complex systems.

Our Transparency

This transparency is at the heart of our ethics and our method.

Where we stand

Pericology is a developing discipline. We have chosen to build this approach gradually, in collaboration with volunteer organizations.

Our current approach

We prioritize quality over quantity. We intentionally limit the number of organizations we work with during this development phase. This allows us to offer attentive and personalized support.

We systematically document our progress and difficulties. Each protocol is evaluated, each result is analyzed, each adjustment is justified.

What we share

We communicate openly about :

• The progress of our work

• The biological principles that underpin our approach

• The protocols we are testing

• The observed results, whether positive or negative

• The identified limitations of our method

Our commitments to transparency

We are committed to :

• Never hide difficulties or failures

• Clearly present the stage of development of each protocol

• Distinguish between what is validated and what is still being tested.

• Sharing our scientific sources and references

• Specify the exact nature of our evidence and demonstrations.

Our position on evidence and validation

We do not yet have statistical evidence of the effectiveness of our approach. We are currently building this demonstration with our initial partners.

However, we can show :

• The scientific foundations on which we rely

• The logic of transposing biological mechanisms

• The specific protocols we propose

• The evaluation method we use

Our vision of credibility

We believe that credibility is not built on promises, but on intellectual honesty. That is why we choose to openly share our journey, with its uncertainties and discoveries.

Our strength lies not in our past achievements, but in the rigor of our present approach. If this honesty resonates with your way of working, then we likely have something to build together.

What We Are and Are Not

Pericology is not a solution. It is a working proposal.

What Pericology really is

Pericology is a concrete proposal for strengthening an organization's capacity to perceive emerging threats and respond to them in a coordinated manner, without depending on central orders or rigid plans. We translate biological mechanisms validated by scientific research into concrete protocols adapted to organizational environments.

Our work consists of progressively establishing four fundamental capabilities :

• The detection of weak signals, autonomous team coordination, the transformation of crises into learning opportunities, and continuous adaptation to change.

We openly document our progress and learning.

What Pericology is not

• ❌ Pericology is not a utopia. It is not based on a new idea, but on principles proven by decades, even centuries, of scientific research

• ❌ Pericology is not a miracle cure. We do not promise spectacular results or rapid transformations. Our approach requires time and commitment.

We do not replace existing risk management, business continuity, or regulatory compliance systems. We offer a complement to address the unforeseen events that these systems do not cover. It fills in the gaps where they are silent :

• In anticipation of unforeseen perils, those that no one has yet named, but which precede any crisis.

We do not conduct fundamental research. We rely on established scientific work, which we adapt to the organizational context. Our added value lies in rigorous transposition, not in theoretical innovation.

Pericology is not a metaphor or a vague concept. Each protocol we propose corresponds to a specific and validated biological mechanism. We carefully avoid poetic comparisons that would lack rigor.

We are not a traditional consulting firm. We work collaboratively with our partners, without a classic client-supplier relationship. Our goal is to develop sustainable capabilities, not to provide one-off services.

Contact us for an initial concrete exploration.

👉 Click on your role to find out how it works :

👉 CEO : Strengthen your strategic vision 👉 CIO : Transform your digital security

👉 HR Director : Develop your sensor teams 👉 Risk Manager : Anticipate emerging risks

👉 COO, CFO, Innovation Director, Business Continuity Manager, etc . : Set up peripheral monitoring