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3SF Quick Start – From Context to Practice

“3SF is not another delivery method — it’s the operating system that connects them all.”

What Is 3SF

The 3-in-3 SDLC Framework (3SF) is a relationship-aware delivery system that unites Client, Vendor, and Product / Service into one coherent ecosystem.

Where most frameworks describe how teams deliver, 3SF explains how organizations align — showing how engagement, delivery, and value form an integrated system of trust and flow.

3SF is built on the theoretical foundation of the Human Cooperation System (HCS) — a diagnostic system that defines the 25 stable functions required for sustainable cooperation.
While HCS explains how cooperation works at a systemic level, 3SF applies these principles to software delivery ecosystems, transforming theory into actionable governance and measurable value.

At its core lies a simple triangle:

                     Product | Service
                            / ^
                           /   \
                    Value /     \ Delivery
                         /       \
                        /         \
                       /           \
                      v             \
      Client (Business) <----------> Vendor (Engineering)
                         Engagement

Scope of the Client–Vendor Relationship

The 3SF model defines “Client” and “Vendor” as systemic roles, not organizational labels.

  • In multi-organization engagements, they represent separate entities.
  • In single-organization environments, they correspond to internal systems of accountability — for example, Business (Client) and Engineering (Vendor).

This universality allows 3SF to govern any relationship where value is created through delivery.

Each side of this triangle represents a relationship line:

  • Engagement — how Client and Vendor collaborate.
  • Delivery — how Vendor and Product interact to produce outcomes.
  • Value — how Product results satisfy Client goals.

When all three sides evolve together, delivery becomes aligned, predictable, and continuously learning.

3SF Compact Core – The 3×3 System

3SF is built around a shareable core called The Systemic Contract — the operating logic that turns Trust and Context into measurable results.

          The System (Pillars)
          /         |         \
      Client     Vendor     Product
          \         |         /
        The Mindset (Principles)
       [Context] [Trust] [Outcome]
             ↓      ↓      ↓
          The Action (Contracts)
          [ECC] [Boundary] [OAM]
Layer Focus Purpose
The System (3 Pillars) Client – Vendor – Product Defines what the framework unites.
The Mindset (3 Principles) Context – Trust – Outcome Defines why the framework works.
The Action (3 Contracts) Grounding – Boundary – Value Defines how the framework delivers results.

→ These nine elements form the Systemic Contract that governs every 3SF engagement — from vision to measurable value.

3SF User Onboarding Checklist

Start here before using any tools or methods.

Step Action Why This Step Is Necessary
1. Orient Read the Vision, Principles & Beliefs to align mindset. This is the cultural DNA. Without shared principles, tools cannot create alignment.
2. Identify Find your Composite Functional Role in the Role Responsibility Snapshot. Defines your accountability within the joint system — who you co-own outcomes with.
3. Ground Complete the Engagement Context Canvas (ECC). Enforces Context before Method — defines the system’s environment and constraints.
4. Govern Co-sign the Autonomy & Control Boundary Charter. Establishes Trust before Control — formalizes decision rights and escalation paths.
5. Measure Set up the Maturity Dashboard. Ensures transparency and shared understanding of relationship health.
6. Reference Review the Glossary & Acronyms to clarify terminology. Ensures shared understanding of all 3SF terms, contracts, and maturity metrics.

Once these steps are done, the 3SF Operating System is initialized.
You can then safely apply any methodology — Agile, Lean, or hybrid — within a coherent relational context.

Why 3SF Exists

3SF emerged from real-world experience across hundreds of projects where success or failure was rarely technical.
It almost always came down to misaligned expectations, responsibilities, and maturity between Client and Vendor teams.

3SF was designed to fix that by:

  • Making relationships inspectable and measurable.
  • Providing shared tools that connect strategy to execution.
  • Replacing blame with systemic learning.
  • Turning transactional projects into strategic partnerships.

How to Navigate 3SF

The framework is structured like an operating system:

Layer Purpose
Theory (OS) Explains why 3SF exists and how it structures relationships.
Practice (Apps) Shows how to use 3SF tools in real projects.
Governance & Diagnostics Defines how principles and agreements evolve into measurable maturity.
Reference Central library of terms, acronyms, sources, and licensing for cross-framework consistency.

Each section builds on the previous one — but you don’t need to read it linearly.
If you know your role or current challenge, you can jump directly to the relevant guide below.

Where to Start

The 3SF Navigator – Tool Finder

Find the right 3SF Practice Tool for your current situation — from defining engagement rules to diagnosing delivery friction.

Role Responsibility Snapshot – Dual-Sided Accountability

See how Client and Vendor roles align, what each is accountable for, and which 3SF artifacts they co-own.

When You’re Ready

Continue to the 3SF Theory – Purpose and Layers to understand how the system works underneath — the Contextual Drivers, Stable Rules, and Maturity Integration that make 3SF resilient by design.
For definitions, citations, and framework origins, explore the 3SF Reference Section — your dictionary and knowledge base for all 3SF artifacts.

Note: 3SF operationalizes the principles of the Human Cooperation System (HCS) — see the HCS reference for the underlying theory of cooperative stability.

3SF begins with people, not process. Start with your context — then pick the right principle and tool to match it.