Practices Map¶
⛔ ENTRY CONDITION: WRITTEN CONTRACT REQUIRED
You may not consult this map until you hold a valid, signed Structural Hypothesis Contract (SHC) from the Diagnostic Workflow.If you are browsing this list looking for "something to try," you are engaging in Cargo Culting, not HCS diagnosis.
This chapter acts as a bridge between the structural diagnostics of HCS and the wider world of industry tools.
This map does not validate practices — it only filters which practices are structurally admissible given a completed diagnosis.
HCS does not invent new practices (like Standups or OKRs). Instead, it provides the selection logic to choose the right practice for the right systemic deficit.
The Golden Rule of Practices
Never adopt a practice until you can name the Cooperative Function (Level 3) or Human Need (Level 2) it is supposed to solve.
Practice follows Function.
The Selection Logic¶
Do not scan this list randomly. Follow this filter:
- Verify Validity: Look at your SHC. Are all 4 fields (Claim, Signal, Move, Falsification) defined? If not, stop.
- Filter by Move: Look at the Structural Move in your contract.
- If your move is Decouple, only look for tools that create boundaries/interfaces.
- If your move is Couple, only look for tools that create interaction/alignment.
- If your move is Explicate, only look for tools that write things down.
- Check the Mode: Is the tool appropriate for Stabilization (Repair) or Growth (Expansion)?
1. Structural Clarity & Decision Making¶
Best for: Fixing Level 3 Coordination and Level 2 Role Clarity.
Primary Structural Moves: Explicate, Sanction, Decouple.
| Practice | HCS Verdict | The Trap (When it fails) |
|---|---|---|
| RACI / DCI | High Value. Forces specific agreement on "Who decides?" (Matrix: Roles × Autonomy). | Weaponization. In low-trust teams, people use RACI to say "Not my job." Don't use it if trust is zero. |
| Decision Records (ADR) | High Value. Creates "asynchronous memory" for the system. (Matrix: Communication × Feedback). | Bureaucracy. If you require an ADR for every tiny choice, you kill velocity. Use only for "One-Way Door" decisions. |
| Team Charter / Canvas | Essential. The primary tool for Setup Mode. Establishes Level 1 Purpose and Level 2 Norms. | Shelfware. Writing it once and never looking at it again. It must be a living contract. |
| Working Agreements | High Value. explicit social contracts for Level 2 (e.g., "No meetings on Fridays"). | Policing. Using agreements to punish people rather than guide them. |
2. Psychological Safety & Relational Health¶
Best for: Fixing Level 2 Safety, Feedback Loops, and Extended Needs.
Primary Structural Moves: Couple, Explicate, Dampen (Noise).
| Practice | HCS Verdict | The Trap (When it fails) |
|---|---|---|
| Psychological Safety Survey | Diagnostic Only. It measures safety (Level 2); it does not create it. | The Thermometer Fallacy. Thinking that measuring the fever cures the patient. You still need to do the repair work. |
| Nonviolent Communication (NVC) | High Value. Provides a protocol for difficult Level 2 feedback without triggering defense. | Robotic Speech. Using NVC scripts ("I feel X when you do Y") without actual empathy feels manipulative. |
| Check-Ins / Red-Yellow-Green | High Value. A low-cost way to poll the "Energy" of the system (Extended Dynamics). | Toxic Positivity. If someone says "Red" and the leader says "Let's turn that frown upside down," safety dies instantly. |
| Blameless Post-Mortems | Essential. The engine of Level 3 Adaptation. Turns failure into learning. | The Witch Hunt. If you call it "Blameless" but someone still gets fired or shamed, you destroy Level 2 forever. |
3. Motivation & Individual Alignment (Extended Dynamics)¶
Best for: Addressing Extended Needs (Autonomy, Mastery, Belonging).
Primary Structural Moves: Couple (Identity), Explicate (Needs).
| Practice | HCS Verdict | The Trap (When it fails) |
|---|---|---|
| Moving Motivators | High Value. Makes invisible drivers (status, order, curiosity) visible. | Ignoring the Data. Asking people what motivates them and then ignoring it is worse than not asking. |
| SCARF Model | High Value. A debugging tool for Conflict Mode. Explains why someone is "irrational" (they feel threatened). | Psychologizing. using SCARF to diagnose someone ("Oh, he has high Status needs") instead of fixing the system. |
| CliftonStrengths / DiSC | Useful. Helps with Level 2 Shared Understanding of styles. | Labeling. "I'm a D-type so I don't have to listen to you." (Using the tool to excuse bad behavior). |
4. Innovation & Facilitation (Level 5)¶
Best for: Growth Mode and collective intelligence.
Primary Structural Moves: Couple (Ideas), Dampen (Hierarchy).
| Practice | HCS Verdict | The Trap (When it fails) |
|---|---|---|
| Liberating Structures | High Value. Disrupts power hierarchies in meetings. Good for Inclusion. | Chaos. Using complex structures when a simple decision is needed. |
| Design Thinking | High Value. excellent for Level 3 Discovery function. | Theater. Doing "sticky notes on a wall" but the boss has already decided the outcome. |
Practices by System Mode¶
Use this lookup table to find the right tool for your current Mode.
| Mode | Focus Area | Recommended Practices |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Mode | Design & Preconditions | Team Charter, Team Canvas, Role Mapping (RACI), Working Agreements, Definition of Ready/Done. |
| Stabilization Mode | Repair & Reliability | Decision Records (ADR), Blameless Post-Mortems, Visual Work Management (Kanban), Regular Retrospectives. |
| Growth Mode | Autonomy & Speed | OKRs (if stable), Delegation Poker, Moving Motivators, Innovation Time/Hackathons. |
| Conflict Mode | Safety & Realignment | Nonviolent Communication, Crucial Conversations, SCARF Analysis, The "Third Story" Protocol. |
| Reset Mode | Closure & Re-entry | "Eulogy" (Closing Ceremony), Zero-Based Design, The Amnesty Session. |
Summary¶
This map is not a menu to order from randomly.
It is a pharmacy.
- Diagnose the illness first (Workflow).
- Sign the Structural Hypothesis Contract.
- Prescribe the specific medicine (Practice) that matches the Structural Move.
If you use Growth medicine (OKRs) on a Trauma patient (Conflict), you will make them worse.