Frameworks, Context and Treasure Hunts
Frameworks have been at the heart of the Group Partners from the birth of the company. Over that time they have taken many forms and have been implemented in standard configurations and highly bespoke configurations. Unlike fixed templates they offer real flexibility in the way they are applied to each case — providing a perfect balance of consistent approach with personalisation that keeps them relevant to a given context
Frameworks are like information models with their own built in logic. We might call them reasoning systems. They are the tools behind Structured Visual Thinking — the mechanisms that bring these 3 dimensions together. We’d like to see them become integral to the way an organisation thinks and works.
Given that most challenges these days are likely to unearth a lot of complexity — that all too often gets ignored — one of the benefits of using a framework approach is that it will — if used thoughtfully — help to tame that complexity and unearth information that will serve the organisation well if given a chance.
Our approach to frameworks has evolved over the last 15 years or so, and mostly through experience. Some fundamental principles and beliefs have made sure that we have evolved in a consistent way, but beyond that the biggest insights and developments have come simply from putting them into practice. After all those years we are still finding new ways to use frameworks and we are also reaching the point where we can finally start to describe the ‘science’ behind them — something we have talked about doing for a long time.
This is the start of becoming more disciplined in defining what it is we think is so powerful about frameworks. It’s also quite therapeutic — there is a lot of ‘stuff’ to finally get out of my head. I’m hoping that it actually amounts to something when it makes it into the articles that will now follow!
This list of articles will grow as I force myself to add more reflections and learnings
