Circles and Triangles Framework (CTF) Primer

Simple yet tricky and powerful CTF (Circles and Triangles Framework)

Why CTF Is Intuitive

• Circle → people instantly grasp it as whole, boundary, safety, or domain.

• Triangle → people recognize it as stability, balance, or structure.

• These are “hardwired” metaphors in human cognition, so adoption doesn’t require heavy training.

Where It Gets Tricky

1. Defining the Core (Circle’s Center)

   • What is the true reference point?

   • Is it purpose, context, or an invariant principle?

   • Without a credible center, the whole system drifts.

2. Identifying the Three Sides of the Core Triangle

   • Each side represents a distinct priority or core element

   • The art is in knowing the sides that are distinct and are of utmost priority.

   • Weak attachment to the core of any side might mean strategic error.

3. Analyzing Corner Tensions (Triangle)

   • Each corner represents a distinct force or truth.

   • The art is in selecting corners that are inherently distinct but interdependent.

   • Weak corner definition leads to lopsided triangles, where balance can’t hold.

4. Layering and Nesting (Recursive CTF)

   • Systems rarely stop at one circle or one triangle.

   • Each triangle can be nested inside another circle; each circle can host multiple triangles.

   • The difficulty lies in knowing when to expand and when to bound — a judgment call that separates a novice from a skilled practitioner.

The Debugging Insight

Most failures in system thinking don’t happen because people can’t draw circles or triangles — they happen because they:

• Misidentify the core (wrong purpose or context).

• Over-simplify or over-crowd the corners (false binaries or false pluralities).

• Fail to layer/nest appropriately (too rigid or too chaotic).

CTF makes these errors visible. That’s its debugging power.

Analogy

It’s like playing a guitar:

• Anyone can strum and hear a chord (intuitive).

• But real music comes from knowing the tensions on each string (corners), keeping it in tune (core), and arranging layers of chords into harmony (nesting/layering).

  
  

=======================

A starter for anyone into system thinking

Here’s a CTF Practitioner’s Guide – Level 1 (Primer Edition). It’s designed to be straightforward, practical, and easy to hand to anyone curious about Circles & Triangles Framework.

CTF Practitioner’s Guide – Level 1

Primer for Using Circles & Triangles to Debug and Design Systems

Step 1: Define the Core (Circle’s Center)

• Ask: “What is the purpose, context, or invariant principle here?”

• The core is the anchor. Everything else radiates from it.

• A weak or false core = instability.

• ✅ Tip: Phrase the core as a clear, single statement (e.g., “Keep the team aligned,” “Protect life,” “Ensure sustainability”).

Step 2: Pick the Sides (Core Triangle of Tensions)

• Identify three primary distinct but interdependent elements.

• Each side must be:

  • Distinct (not overlap too much).

  • Tensioned (pulls differently).

  • Relevant & Primary (foundational and truly matters to the circle’s purpose).

• ✅ Example: In project management → Time – Cost – Quality.

Step 3: Draw the Circle (Boundary of Scope)

• The circle defines what’s “in play” and what’s outside.

• Without a circle, the system bleeds into infinity (everything) or collapses into nothing.

• ✅ Tip: Bound your circle with clarity, not rigidity. A circle is a container, not a prison.

Step 4: Analyze the Tensions

• Corners pull and push against each other—this is natural.

• The key is to map how balance is maintained.

• Ask: “What happens if a side dominates? What if it weakens?”

• ✅ Use tension not as a flaw, but as an engine of balance.

Step 5: Connect for Layering and Nesting

• Real systems don’t stop at one triangle.

• Layering: Repetitions to build as many layers needed.

• Nesting: Outward expansion by tangent triangles and circumcircles.

• ✅ Tip: Always check if a triangle needs to expand into a circle, or if a circle needs structuring with more triangles.

Step 6: Close the Circle (Reconciliation)

• Always end by returning to the core and circle.

• Ask: “Does this arrangement still serve the purpose at the center?”

• This keeps CTF from spiraling into complexity.

Quick Example: Team Decision-Making

• Core: “Make decisions that move us forward.”

• Circle: Team + current project.

• Triangle: Options – Risks – Benefits.

• Tensions: Too many options = confusion, too much risk focus = paralysis, too much benefit focus = recklessness.

• Layer/Nest: Each option can become its own circle with a new triangle (Cost – Time – Scope).

• Close Circle: Which decision best keeps the team moving forward?

Closing Note

CTF is intuitive—anyone can draw a circle and triangle. The mastery is in defining the core, recognizing tensions, and layering wisely. Think of it as geometry for sanity: it keeps minds, teams, and systems from collapsing into extremes.