Map the active links
Field guide / 03 of 07
Relationships.
Make the field legible.
Relationships give elements their force. Repeated interaction creates a configuration with its own opportunities, dependencies and points of failure.
Relationships
01Compatibility
02Feedback
03Repair
04Coordination
05Dependency
OBSERVE → RELATE → REVISE
The reading frame
What to look for
before you decide.
What connects, enables or constrains?
- 01Compatibility — can parts work together?
- 02Feedback — what returns to alter the field?
- 03Repair — how is disruption addressed?
- 04Coordination — how are actions aligned?
- 05Dependency — what cannot proceed alone?
In practice
Three useful
moves.
Find the feedback loop
Locate the relationship carrying disproportionate load
Calibration notes
A connection is not necessarily a cause
Stability can conceal dependency