Sources and Frameworks
The 3-in-3 SDLC Framework (3SF) builds upon a wide spectrum of proven methodologies, systems-thinking traditions, and continuous-improvement practices.
This section lists the external sources, frameworks, and practices that influenced or complement 3SF Theory, Practice, and Maturity models.
Each source is categorized according to its dominant contribution area — strategic, systemic, operational, or relational — illustrating how 3SF integrates diverse schools of thought into one coherent delivery framework.
Theoretical Foundation
| System / Framework |
Core Idea |
Relevance to 3SF |
| Human Cooperation System (HCS) |
Defines the systemic “physics” of cooperation — the 25 stable functions required for trust, clarity, and shared purpose to sustain collective work. |
Serves as the theoretical foundation of 3SF, providing the underlying model that 3SF operationalizes through contracts, practices, and governance artifacts. |
Strategic Alignment and Visioning
| Framework / Practice |
Core Idea |
Relevance to 3SF |
| VMOSA (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategy, Action) |
A structured planning model connecting purpose to measurable actions. |
Provides the basis for outcome-driven governance and alignment between Client and Vendor vision layers. |
| Wardley Maps |
Strategic mapping technique visualizing value chains and component evolution. |
Supports systemic situational awareness, helping teams position engagements and maturity evolution in context. |
| Objectives and Key Results (OKR) |
Framework for linking high-level goals to measurable outcomes. |
Complements 3SF’s Outcome-to-Accountability governance (OAA/OAM). |
| Balanced Scorecard |
Strategy execution tool balancing financial and non-financial metrics. |
Reinforces multi-dimensional measurement beyond delivery outputs. |
| Business Model Canvas |
Framework to describe, design, and innovate business models. |
Influences 3SF’s Engagement Context Canvas (ECC) for understanding client context. |
| JTBD + ODI (Jobs To Be Done + Outcome-Driven Innovation) |
Framework describing customer needs as desired outcomes to be achieved rather than product features. |
Extends the Value dimension by emphasizing measurable outcomes and context of use, complementing 3SF’s Outcome-to-Accountability practices (OAA/OAM). |
Systemic Thinking and Organizational Design
| Framework / Practice |
Core Idea |
Relevance to 3SF |
| Systems Thinking (Senge) |
Views organizations as interconnected systems where structure drives behavior. |
Underpins 3SF’s systemic approach to Client–Vendor–Product relationships. |
| Cynefin Framework (Snowden) |
Contextual decision-making model distinguishing ordered vs. complex domains. |
Informs adaptive governance and autonomy boundaries in 3SF. |
| Team Topologies (Skelton & Pais) |
Model for team structures based on flow and cognitive load. |
Shapes Delivery and Engagement system design to optimize flow. |
| Org Topologies |
Extends Team Topologies to organizational evolution patterns. |
Guides maturity transitions and scaling strategies within multi-team vendors. |
| Viable System Model (Beer) |
Model for self-regulating organizational systems. |
Provides conceptual grounding for autonomy, coherence, and feedback loops in 3SF. |
| Kaizen |
Continuous improvement through small, incremental changes. |
Embeds within Systemic Learning and Maturity Growth Contracts (MGC). |
| Lean Thinking (Womack & Jones) |
Eliminating waste and optimizing flow in value creation. |
Directly shapes Flow Constraint Identification (FCI) and WIP control practices. |
Delivery, Quality, and Technical Practices
| Framework / Practice |
Core Idea |
Relevance to 3SF |
| SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle) |
Structured phases guiding software development and delivery. |
3SF reframes SDLC through relational systems — linking Delivery to Engagement and Value. |
| SWEBOK (Software Engineering Body of Knowledge) |
Internationally recognized guide defining the scope and practices of software engineering. |
Provides the foundational terminology and process structure underpinning 3SF’s integration of engineering discipline with relational and systemic layers. |
| DORA Metrics |
Quantitative delivery performance indicators (deployment frequency, MTTR, etc.). |
Forms part of the Delivery Maturity Index (DMI) and Systemic Risk Ratio (SRR). |
| DevOps & CI/CD |
Integration of development and operations for continuous delivery. |
Supports flow and operational stability within Delivery relationship. |
| SAMM (Software Assurance Maturity Model) |
Framework for assessing and improving software security practices. |
Inspires 3SF’s maturity measurement and capability growth principles. |
| CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) |
Process maturity framework for organizations. |
Provides historical context for structured improvement models used in 3SF. |
| ITIL |
Library of IT service management best practices. |
Complements Value relationship by ensuring service reliability and post-delivery governance. |
| Risk Management (ISO 31000) |
Systematic approach to managing uncertainty and risk. |
Informs Governance Contracts (GC) and risk traceability across engagements. |
Collaboration and Relationship Management
| Framework / Practice |
Core Idea |
Relevance to 3SF |
| RACI Matrix |
Clarifies roles: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. |
Influences accountability mapping in OAM and Governance Contracts (GC). |
| Situational Leadership (Hersey & Blanchard) |
Adjusts leadership style based on team maturity and readiness. |
Mirrors adaptive autonomy in 3SF’s Engagement and Maturity Growth dynamics. |
| Radical Candor (Scott) |
Communication framework balancing care and challenge. |
Encourages open dialogue between Client and Vendor roles. |
| Multipliers (Wiseman) |
Leadership model that amplifies team capability through empowerment. |
Aligns with 3SF’s principle of shared ownership and co-evolution. |
| Psychological Safety (Edmondson) |
Foundation for team learning and innovation. |
Embedded in Learning Before Blame Protocol (LBP). |
Measurement and Improvement Frameworks
| Framework / Practice |
Core Idea |
Relevance to 3SF |
| Value Stream Mapping (Lean) |
Visualization of material and information flow in a process. |
Forms basis of 3SF’s Flow Constraint Identification (FCI) practice. |
| OKR & KPI Integration |
Combining leading and lagging indicators to track outcomes. |
Shapes 3SF’s Maturity Indexes (EMI, DMI, VMI) and Outcome-to-Accountability metrics. |
| PDCA Cycle (Plan–Do–Check–Act) |
Continuous improvement loop. |
Embedded in 3SF’s maturity evolution and Quarterly Alignment Record (QAR) cadence. |
| SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) |
Engineering discipline balancing reliability and velocity. |
Enriches operational side of 3SF’s Delivery relationship and MTTR/MTTD metrics. |
Governance, Compliance, and Standards
| Framework / Practice |
Core Idea |
Relevance to 3SF |
| ISO 12207 |
International standard for software lifecycle processes. |
Reinforces process rigor and terminology alignment for 3SF. |
| ISO 27001 |
Security management system standard. |
Shapes stable rules for compliance and governance maturity. |
| NIST Frameworks |
Standards for cybersecurity, risk, and resilience. |
Inspire systemic control boundaries and data handling protocols. |
| GDPR / EU Regulations |
Regulatory frameworks governing privacy and data processing. |
Influence compliance dimensions in Governance Contracts (GC) and Value outcomes. |
Integrative Models Introduced by 3SF
| Model |
Description |
Derived From / Connected To |
| 3-in-3 SDLC Framework (3SF) |
Relationship-aware SDLC model connecting Client, Vendor, and Product into one system. |
Inspired by SDLC + Systems Thinking + Team Topologies. |
| 3-in-3 Maturity Model |
Self-assessment tool mapping systemic evolution from reactive to strategic. |
Derived from CMMI, SAMM, and Lean maturity structures. |
| 3-in-3 Metrics Model |
Defines interconnected indexes (EMI, DMI, VMI, MV, SRR, PCI). |
Synthesizes DORA, OKR, and Balanced Scorecard concepts. |
| 3SF Contracts System |
Family of agreements (ACBA, GC, OAA, MGC, REC) defining interaction rules. |
Influenced by governance models and systemic agreements in organizational theory. |
Reference Philosophy
3SF does not replace these frameworks — it integrates and orchestrates them through a systemic lens.
It treats each external source as a function within a broader delivery ecosystem, ensuring that strategic intent, organizational design, and delivery execution remain coherent and measurable.
In essence:
The Human Cooperation System (HCS) provides the theoretical basis for this synthesis — describing how cooperation works, while 3SF demonstrates how to build it into practice.
3SF = (Systems Thinking + SDLC) × (Relational Maturity + Delivery Flow) enriched by lessons from Lean, Agile, and Organizational Design sciences.