Glossary
The Human Cooperation System (HCS) defines a shared language for describing cooperative work systems – how people and organizations align, commit, and adapt under changing conditions.
This glossary supports consistency across:
- the Core Model (Matrix + Pyramid),
- Extended Human Dynamics,
- System Modes, and
- the Diagnostics section.
Core System Terms
| Term |
Meaning |
| Human Cooperation System (HCS) |
A system model that explains how cooperative work remains stable and adaptive across changing conditions. It describes the “physics” of cooperation using the Matrix, Pyramid, Extended Human Dynamics, System Modes, and Diagnostics. |
| Core Model |
The structural heart of HCS, composed of the Matrix (Conditions × Needs × Functions) and the Pyramid (five levels of cooperative stability). It defines what cooperation requires at a minimum. |
| Matrix |
A 5×5 map that crosses Preconditions for Cooperation (vertical axis) with Core Human Needs for Cooperative Work (horizontal axis). Each cell represents a Cooperative Function that must be supported for cooperation to remain healthy. |
| Pyramid |
A layered model with five levels: (1) Preconditions for Cooperation, (2) Core Human Needs, (3) Cooperative System Functions, (4) Practices & Frameworks, and (5) Meta-Practices & Innovation. It defines dependency order between layers. |
| Level Rule |
The principle that dysfunction at a lower level cannot be fixed by interventions at higher levels. Stability must be restored from the bottom up (Level 1 → Level 2 → Level 3 → Level 4 → Level 5). |
| Extended Human Dynamics |
A lens that describes how contextual, relational, structural, and developmental patterns (Extended Conditions) and deeper human needs (Extended Needs) shape how cooperation is experienced. It explains variation without changing the Core Model. |
| System Modes |
Five systemic “stances” that describe what kind of work is appropriate right now: Setup, Stabilization, Growth, Conflict, Reset. Modes guide priorities and guardrails for intervention. |
| Diagnostics |
A set of workflows and patterns that combine the Core Model, Extended Human Dynamics, and System Modes into a repeatable way of observing issues, locating root causes, and choosing interventions. |
| Diagnostic Workflow |
A small loop that moves from Observation → Matrix Mapping → Level Check → Function → Practice → Learning. It anchors diagnosis in the Core Model before adding human dynamics or mode choices. |
| Diagnostic Dynamics |
The extension of the Diagnostic Workflow that incorporates Extended Conditions, Extended Needs, and political/psychological fields, helping distinguish structural issues from human and political distortions. |
Two Paths of Problem Solving
| Term |
Meaning |
| Path of Encapsulation |
The tendency to reduce friction by creating clear interfaces, contracts, and modular components so that parties need to understand each other as little as possible. Effective for well-bounded problems; harmful when used for deep cooperation needs. |
| Path of Integration |
The tendency to reduce friction by investing in shared understanding, joint sense-making, and coordinated governance so that parties can adapt together. Essential when work is interdependent, novel, or politically sensitive. |
| Encapsulation vs Integration Balance |
The deliberate choice of where to encapsulate work with stable contracts and where to integrate through joint sense-making and shared decision-making. HCS helps make this choice explicit instead of accidental. |
Pyramid – Levels and Core Concepts
Level 1 – Preconditions for Cooperation
These are the existential conditions required for cooperation to exist at all.
| Term |
Meaning |
| Common Purpose |
The shared intent and direction that makes cooperation worthwhile. Answers “Why are we doing this together rather than separately?” |
| Interdependence |
Recognition that outcomes depend on others, making collaboration both necessary and consequential. |
| Communication (Ground) |
A minimal shared ground for exchanging information – channels, language, and norms that make basic mutual orientation possible. |
| Trust |
Confidence that others will act with sufficient reliability, integrity, and care within shared norms. Without some trust, cooperation collapses into control and avoidance. |
| Change / Uncertainty Tolerance |
The ability of the system to live with variability (in context, priorities, constraints) without losing coherence or legitimacy. |
Level 2 – Core Human Needs for Cooperative Work
These are the human-level enablers that make Level 1 operational in day-to-day work.
| Term |
Meaning |
| Shared Understanding |
A sufficiently aligned mental model of goals, constraints, and current reality. People may disagree, but they know what they disagree about. |
| Mutual Commitment |
Reciprocal willingness to invest effort and uphold agreements. Both sides recognize and value each other’s contribution and risk. |
| Feedback Loops |
Safe and reliable ways to surface information (progress, risks, errors, tensions) and see that it leads to appropriate response or adjustment. |
| Distribution of Roles |
Clarity on who does what, who decides what, and who is accountable for what. Includes explicit edges and overlaps. |
| Autonomy & Agency |
The ability of people and teams to act intentionally within agreed boundaries, shaping outcomes rather than merely complying. |
Level 3 – Cooperative System Functions
Level 3 contains the stable functions represented by the 25 Matrix cells (Condition × Need). Each cell describes what must happen for cooperation to work (e.g., Alignment on Why, Coordination, Signal & Response, Enablement & Empowerment, Adaptation & Learning).
| Term |
Meaning |
| Cooperative Function (Matrix Cell) |
A specific, stable capability of cooperation (e.g., discovering problems, coordinating interdependent work, making decisions, learning from outcomes). Functions describe what must happen, independent of specific methods. |
| Function Group |
A loose cluster of related functions (e.g., Problem Discovery, Planning & Prioritization, Monitoring & Feedback, Enablement & Empowerment, Adaptation & Learning) used as a mental shortcut when working with the Matrix at a higher level. |
Level 4 – Practices & Frameworks
| Term |
Meaning |
| Practice |
A concrete, repeatable way of working (e.g., retrospectives, sprint planning, RACI, incident reviews) that serves one or more Cooperative Functions. Practices are replaceable; functions are not. |
| Framework |
A named collection of practices and roles (e.g., Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, OKRs) that assumes certain Core Model conditions are already in place. Frameworks live at Level 4 and depend on Levels 1–3. |
| Term |
Meaning |
| Meta-Practice |
Any activity where people reflect on and redesign their way of working (e.g., designing custom playbooks, mapping cooperation systems, coaching others in system thinking). |
| System Innovation (Cooperation) |
The deliberate creation or evolution of new practices and structures to better support cooperative functions. It is innovation focused on how we cooperate, not just what we deliver. |
System Modes
| Term |
Meaning |
| Setup Mode |
Mode focused on designing preconditions and expectations before work begins or when cooperation is fundamentally re-chartered. Establishes shared purpose, interdependence, roles, and basic governance. |
| Stabilization Mode |
Mode focused on repair and calibration when cooperation exists but suffers recurring friction. Aims to restore basic reliability by fixing issues at the lowest unstable level. |
| Growth Mode |
Mode focused on optimization and extension once cooperation is stable enough. Increases autonomy, speed, and learning while preserving safety and coherence. |
| Conflict Mode |
Mode focused on safety and realignment when tension, mistrust, or harm are prominent. Makes conflict discussable, separates structural and relational issues, and clarifies whether to repair, contain, or reset. |
| Reset Mode |
Mode focused on existential re-evaluation when context or purpose has shifted so much that the current cooperation system no longer makes sense. Decides what ends, what transforms, and what restarts via Setup. |
Diagnostic Terms
| Term |
Meaning |
| Observation (Diagnostics) |
A neutral description of what is happening (events, patterns, frequencies) without interpretation or blame. Starting point of the Diagnostic Workflow. |
| Matrix Mapping |
The act of locating an observation in the Matrix by identifying the most relevant Condition, Need, and Cooperative Function. |
| Level Check |
Determining the lowest Pyramid level at which instability appears (Preconditions, Needs, Functions, Practices, Meta-Practices). |
| Function → Practice Mapping |
Choosing or designing a practice that directly supports a specific Cooperative Function at the correct level, instead of adopting practices by imitation. |
| Trial & Learn Loop |
The small cycle of trying a targeted change, observing its effects, and adjusting based on evidence, rather than treating any diagnostic conclusion as final. |
Extended Conditions and Needs
Extended Conditions
| Term |
Meaning |
| Extended Conditions |
Contextual, relational, structural, and developmental patterns that shape how cooperation is experienced (e.g., incentives, history, decision norms). They do not change the Core Model but strongly influence its quality. |
| Contextual Conditions |
External and environmental factors (market, regulation, strategy, crises, organizational priorities) that affect pressure, risk, and attention. |
| Relational Conditions |
Patterns in how people and groups relate over time (alliances, avoidance, trust history, blame habits). |
| Structural Conditions |
How power, access, decision rights, and resources are arranged (gatekeepers, bottlenecks, representation). |
| Developmental Conditions |
The maturity and history of cooperation (past initiatives, learning rhythms, accumulated fatigue or trauma). |
Extended Needs
| Term |
Meaning |
| Extended Needs |
Human motivational and relational needs that shape engagement and emotional experience in cooperation. They go beyond the minimal Core Needs and are vital for sustained, humane collaboration. |
| Purpose & Direction |
The need to understand and endorse the “why” of cooperation and see how one’s work contributes to something meaningful. |
| Trust & Safety |
The need to feel physically, emotionally, and politically safe enough to participate honestly and take reasonable risks. |
| Growth & Evolution |
The need for development, mastery, challenge, and the sense that the system is improving rather than stagnating. |
| Recognition & Belonging |
The need to feel seen, valued, fairly treated, and included in the community of cooperation. |
| Autonomy & Coherence (Extended) |
The need to experience freedom of action and coherence with one’s values, identity, and the broader direction of the system. |
Collective vs Individual
| Term |
Meaning |
| Collective Conditions / Needs |
System-level patterns, narratives, and needs that emerge from groups (teams, departments, organizations). Examples: a team’s need for recognition, an organization’s need for strategic clarity. |
| Individual Conditions / Needs |
A person’s lived experience within cooperation (their safety, clarity, growth, recognition, autonomy). These can differ greatly from the group’s averages. |
| Quadrant (Diagnostics) |
The four-way classification used in Extended Dynamics: Collective Condition, Individual Condition, Collective Need, Individual Need. It guides where an issue lives and helps pick the right intervention layer (structural, collective, relational, individual). |
Influence Fields
| Term |
Meaning |
| Political Field |
The pattern of power, legitimacy, resource control, representation, and informal hierarchies that shapes who gets heard, who can say no, and whose interests define “reality”. Political dynamics primarily shape permission. |
| Psychological Field |
The pattern of emotions, identity, fear, trust posture, and personal narratives that shapes how people interpret events, whether they speak up, and how much energy they invest. Psychological dynamics primarily shape participation. |
| Distortion Vector |
Any political or psychological influence that amplifies or suppresses conditions and needs, making cooperation difficult even when structure looks correct on paper. |
| Intervention Layer |
The level at which an issue must be addressed: structural (system design), collective (group narratives and agreements), relational (between specific roles or groups), or individual (support and coaching). |
Principles and Rules
| Term |
Meaning |
| Function-First Principle |
Practices and tools should be chosen or designed to serve a specific Cooperative Function, not adopted by imitation or trend. |
| Lowest-Level Fix Rule |
Interventions should always target the lowest level where instability appears. Fix Level 1–2 issues before expecting Level 3–5 improvements to hold. |
| Whole-System View |
The stance that all conditions, needs, and functions interact; changing one element will affect others. Diagnostics should always consider systemic side-effects. |
| Mode Alignment |
The principle that what you are trying to do (setup, stabilize, grow, resolve conflict, reset) must match the system’s actual state. Misaligned modes lead to wasted effort and additional tension. |
| Reflective Practice |
Regular examination of how cooperation itself functions (not only what is delivered), leading to deliberate adjustments and, at Level 5, to system innovation. |
Relationships to Other Frameworks
| Term |
Meaning |
| 3-in-3 SDLC Framework (3SF) |
A separate framework that applies HCS-inspired principles to client–vendor ecosystems and software delivery. HCS provides the underlying cooperation model; 3SF focuses on concrete contracts and practices. |
| Agile / Lean / Scrum / Kanban |
Families of Level 4 frameworks that define practices, roles, and cadences. Their success depends on the stability of Levels 1–3 (Preconditions, Needs, Functions) as described by HCS. |
| Systems Thinking |
The broader discipline of viewing organizations as interconnected, adaptive systems. HCS is a systems-thinking application focused specifically on human cooperation. |
Reference Purpose
This glossary exists to:
- provide a shared vocabulary for reading, teaching, and applying HCS;
- keep diagnostic conversations grounded and precise, not vague or personal;
- bridge theory and practice across HCS, 3SF, and other delivery or leadership frameworks.
Use it as an anchor whenever terms start drifting or being reused with local meanings.