Template – Autonomy & Control Boundary Agreement¶
“The measure of trust is the freedom you grant — and the transparency you maintain.”
Purpose¶
The Autonomy & Control Boundary Agreement (ACBA) defines decision-making rights, control mechanisms, and escalation paths between Client and Vendor organizations.
It formalizes the 3SF principle “Trust before Control” by turning abstract trust levels into explicit, measurable governance rules.
This agreement serves as a governance annex to the Engagement or Governance Contract.
It evolves alongside relationship maturity — reducing control as trust grows and autonomy proves reliable.
Scope and Application¶
| Dimension | Scope |
|---|---|
| SDLC Stages | Design → Delivery → Governance |
| 3SF Relationship Lines | Engagement ↔ Delivery |
| 3SF Layers | Stable Rules Layer (SRL) + Rule Audit Checklist (RAC) |
| Maturity Target | From Transactional Trust → toward Strategic Partnership |
Contract Parties and Roles¶
| Role | Representative | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Client Executive Sponsor | [Name, Title] | Approves decision boundaries and control model. |
| Client Governance Officer | [Name, Title] | Oversees control compliance and escalation management. |
| Vendor Account Lead | [Name, Title] | Ensures vendor decisions respect agreed boundaries. |
| Vendor Delivery Facilitator | [Name, Title] | Implements governance cadence and reports control metrics. |
Agreement Structure¶
Each ACBA contains a Decision Autonomy Matrix, describing who decides, who is informed, and under what conditions autonomy applies.
| Domain | Transactional Stage | Collaborative Stage | Co-Creative Stage | Strategic Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scope & Requirements | Vendor executes approved backlog; Client approves all scope changes >1 day effort. | Vendor may adjust priorities within sprint; Client approves >5-day changes. | Vendor self-governs iteration scope within agreed outcomes. | Joint planning; Client informed of changes only if they affect outcomes. |
| Architecture Decisions | Client SA approves all design choices. | Co-sign on critical trade-offs; Vendor proposes alternatives. | Vendor proposes; Client validates risk tolerance. | Joint strategic architecture planning. |
| Delivery & Planning | Client PM sets schedule; Vendor reports progress. | Shared sprint planning and progress tracking. | Vendor plans iterations; Client reviews milestones. | Portfolio-level roadmap alignment only. |
| Quality & Acceptance | Client QA defines and verifies all acceptance criteria. | Shared DoD matrix applied. | Vendor owns verification; Client performs outcome validation. | Continuous improvement metrics shared via dashboards. |
| Incident & Change Management | Client approves all changes. | Vendor executes urgent fixes within SLA; reports within 24h. | Vendor self-resolves; Client informed. | Shared accountability for root-cause learning. |
Agreement Clauses¶
Clause 1 – Adaptive Autonomy¶
Decision boundaries must reflect current relationship maturity and may evolve as trust metrics improve.
Changes require review and co-signature during Quarterly Maturity Assessments.
Clause 2 – Escalation Framework¶
All escalation paths must follow the governance model defined in the Governance Contract.
Escalations are evaluated not by severity alone, but by trust impact and systemic learning potential.
Clause 3 – Transparency Requirements¶
All autonomous decisions must be visible through shared governance dashboards and logs.
Transparency replaces pre-approval as the control mechanism at higher maturity levels.
Clause 4 – Exceptions and Breaches¶
Violations of agreed autonomy boundaries trigger a temporary rollback to a lower maturity stage, followed by corrective learning using the Learning Before Blame Protocol.
Clause 5 – Evolution of Autonomy¶
Each quarter, maturity is reassessed through the Maturity Growth Contract.
Improvement in trust and governance indicators increases vendor decision latitude.
Inputs / Outputs¶
| Inputs | Outputs |
|---|---|
| Governance model, maturity dashboard data, prior autonomy agreements | Autonomy & Control Boundary Agreement, updated decision matrix, quarterly governance log |
Metrics / Signals¶
| Category | Example Indicators |
|---|---|
| Decision Latency | Average approval cycle reduced by ≥30% after two quarters. |
| Autonomy Compliance | ≤5% of vendor actions exceed current decision authority. |
| Transparency Signal | All autonomous actions logged within agreed timeframe. |
| Trust Maturity | Both sides report ≥4/5 confidence in governance transparency. |
Common Pitfalls¶
- Fixing autonomy boundaries permanently instead of adapting with maturity.
- Granting autonomy without visibility or reporting.
- Using exceptions as grounds for punishment instead of learning.
- Allowing only one side (client or vendor) to adjust control terms.
- Failing to review boundaries regularly as the relationship evolves.
Contract Lifecycle¶
| Stage | Action | Responsible Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Draft and sign during engagement setup. | Executive Sponsor / Account Lead |
| Activation | Integrate into Governance Contract cadence. | Governance Officer / Delivery Facilitator |
| Review | Assess quarterly during Maturity Growth reviews. | Executive Sponsor / Governance Officer |
| Renewal | Update autonomy levels based on trust and performance metrics. | Account Lead / Delivery Facilitator |
Client-Side Application¶
Objective: Enable controlled delegation while maintaining governance transparency.
Client actions¶
- Approve autonomy levels aligned with current trust maturity.
- Track governance signals and transparency indicators.
- Adjust boundaries only through joint reviews, not unilaterally.
- Reward trust improvement through reduced approvals.
Vendor-Side Application¶
Objective: Earn and sustain autonomy through consistent transparency and reliability.
Vendor actions¶
- Operate strictly within agreed boundaries and report all autonomous actions.
- Propose autonomy expansion based on maturity metrics.
- Maintain traceability between autonomy decisions and outcomes.
- Use autonomy responsibly to improve delivery flow, not bypass control.
Summary¶
The Autonomy & Control Boundary Agreement is the cornerstone of governance evolution in 3SF.
It replaces static control hierarchies with measurable, adaptive trust — ensuring that autonomy is earned, visible, and scalable.
By signing this agreement, both Client and Vendor commit to Trust before Control — creating a transparent foundation for sustainable, self-governing delivery partnerships.