Engagement Context Canvas¶

“Every engagement inherits its context. Maturity begins by naming it.”

Purpose¶

The Engagement Context Canvas (ECC) turns the abstract Contextual Drivers Layer (CDL) of 3SF into a practical diagnostic and planning tool.
It enables both Client and Vendor to explicitly define and agree on the environmental, organizational, and strategic context shaping their delivery system.

The canvas ensures:

Alignment between contextual reality and the chosen Stable Rules,
Prevention of misapplied governance or methodology (“process mismatch”),
Early visibility of constraints and opportunities that determine engagement success.

It is best used at the start of an engagement and revisited during Relationship Audits.

Applies To¶

Dimension	Scope
SDLC Stages	Discover → Design → Audit
3SF Relationship Lines	Engagement ↔ Delivery ↔ Value
3SF Layers	Contextual Drivers Layer (CDL)
Maturity Target	From Transactional Trust → toward Collaborative Confidence

Actors / Roles¶

Client Side	Vendor Side	Shared Purpose
Executive Sponsor	Account Lead	Establish shared understanding of business and strategic context.
Product Leader	Delivery Facilitator	Identify contextual constraints and translate them into operational adjustments.
Governance Officer	Engineering Director	Align compliance and organizational structures to engagement setup.
Solution Architect	Solution Architect	Translate technical context (legacy, infrastructure, scalability) into delivery expectations.

Steps / Routines¶

1. Gather Context Data¶

Conduct a 60–90 minute joint discovery session using the six contextual drivers below.
Collect factual data, assumptions, and risks from both sides.

2. Map the Six Contextual Drivers¶

The ECC is divided into six zones, each describing a driver that shapes the delivery system:

Contextual Driver	Typical Questions to Explore	Example Output
Commercial	What is the funding model and cost tolerance?	Fixed budget with optional scalability buffer.
Regulatory	What compliance or security obligations exist?	Must align with ISO27001; data residency in EU.
Organizational	How are decisions made internally?	Dual approval for deployments; weekly steering committee.
Architectural	What technical ecosystem and constraints exist?	Hybrid cloud; legacy DB; need to align with enterprise patterns.
Delivery	What delivery cadence and collaboration model fit this environment?	Two-week sprints; hybrid client/vendor teams.
Cultural	What behaviors and communication norms affect delivery?	Preference for async updates; low risk appetite.

3. Assess Contextual Fit¶

For each driver, rate fit between context and Stable Rules (1–5 scale).
Identify where the default 3SF rules or practices must adapt.
Example: In a Regulatory-heavy context, the SRL may enforce longer approval loops.

4. Define Contextual Adjustments¶

List required adaptations to processes, tools, or roles.
Assign responsibility and timeframe for each adjustment.
Example: “Shift release frequency from 2 weeks → monthly to align with compliance audits.”

5. Approve and Record¶

Consolidate results in the Engagement Context Canvas artifact.
Both the Executive Sponsor and Account Lead approve and store it with the Delivery Charter.

6. Revisit Periodically¶

Reassess contextual drivers during each Relationship Audit or major scope change.
Track changes in organizational, commercial, or cultural context that may affect stable rules.

Inputs / Outputs¶

Inputs	Outputs
RFP, organizational charts, compliance standards, architectural overview	Engagement Context Canvas, Contextual Fit Ratings, Stable Rule Adjustment Log

Metrics / Signals¶

Category	Example Indicators
Context Awareness	100% of new engagements have a completed ECC within 2 weeks of initiation.
Fit Quality	≥ 80% of stable rules rated “fit” (4–5) to the current context.
Adjustment Implementation	All defined contextual adaptations completed within planned timeframe.
Maturity Signal	Reduction in process conflicts or escalation due to misaligned governance.

Common Pitfalls¶

Skipping context assessment due to time pressure.
Treating the canvas as documentation instead of a decision-making tool.
Assuming context is static — not revisiting after organizational or regulatory change.
Allowing only one side (Client or Vendor) to fill it out independently.
Ignoring cultural and behavioral context in favor of technical aspects.

Scaling Notes¶

Maturity Stage	Evolution Focus
Transactional → Collaborative	Introduce ECC as part of discovery and proposal process.
Collaborative → Co-Creative	Use ECC insights to customize 3SF stable rules per engagement.
Co-Creative → Strategic Partner	Leverage aggregated ECC data across portfolio for contextual intelligence.

At higher maturity, ECCs are maintained as living documents integrated into governance dashboards and 3SF Maturity Dashboards.

Client-Side Application¶

Objective: Ensure that vendor teams operate with full awareness of the real business and organizational environment.

Client actions

Lead the identification of all six contextual drivers.
Provide accurate, timely information on regulatory and internal constraints.
Participate in defining fit ratings and approving contextual adaptations.
Revisit the canvas during quarterly or audit reviews to update changing context.

Vendor-Side Application¶

Objective: Adapt delivery practices to the client’s unique context instead of applying generic process templates.

Vendor actions

Facilitate ECC workshops with client stakeholders.
Identify mismatches between client environment and vendor delivery model.
Propose SRL adjustments to align with real-world constraints.
Use the ECC artifact to brief new team members or external contributors.

Summary¶

The Engagement Context Canvas grounds the 3SF framework in reality.
It ensures that every engagement begins with contextual awareness, not assumptions — aligning governance, architecture, and culture before delivery starts.
When updated regularly, ECC becomes the compass that keeps Client and Vendor teams moving together through changing conditions and maturity stages.