From a chrysalis to a butterfly.

Changelog

January 30, 2023 (version 7.1):

  • Changed the transition mechanisms between core system states/functions’ descriptors and their meaning [ Archetype | Heuristics ]. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Constructor (social) transition mechanisms (anti-clockwise):
      • From Genesis to Adaptation: Exaptation [ Translators | Repurpose things ].
      • From Adaptation to Regulation: Selection [ Stressors | Choose things ].
      • From Regulation to Succession: Migration (was Dispersion) [ Spreaders | Transfer things ].
      • From Succession to Genesis: Recombination [ Catalysts | Blend things ].
    • Substrate (material) transition mechanisms (clockwise):
      • From Genesis to Succession: Differentiation [ Switchers | Derive things ].
      • From Succession to Regulation: Speciation [ Insulators | Split things ].
      • From Regulation to Adaptation: Mutation [ Disruptors | Change things ].
      • From Adaptation to Genesis: Deviation [ Reducers (was Shufflers) | Randomize things ].
  • Added Gibbs Free (available) Energy (the maximum amount of work that may be performed by a thermodynamically closed system – a simplification considering the biosphere, virtually a closed system with regard to matter, and an open system with regard to energy – at constant pressure and temperature) reaction types to each transition mechanism:
    • Constructor (social) transition mechanisms (anti-clockwise):
      • From Genesis to Adaptation: Exaptation => Non-spontaneous (ΔG>0) endothermic (ΔH>0) transition (ΔH>0, ΔS<0).
      • From Adaptation to Regulation: Selection => Spontaneous (ΔG<0) exothermic (ΔH<0) transition at low-temperature (ΔH<0, ΔS<0).
      • From Regulation to Succession: Migration => Spontaneous (ΔG<0) exothermic (ΔH<0) transition (ΔH<0, ΔS>0).
      • From Succession to Genesis: Recombination => Spontaneous (ΔG<0) endothermic (ΔH>0) transition at high-temperature (ΔH>0, ΔS>0).
    • Substrate (material) transition mechanisms (clockwise):
      • From Genesis to Succession: Differentiation => Spontaneous (ΔG<0) exothermic (ΔH<0) transition at low-temperature (ΔH<0, ΔS<0).
      • From Succession to Regulation: Speciation => Non-spontaneous (ΔG>0) endothermic (ΔH>0) transition (ΔH>0, ΔS<0).
      • From Regulation to Adaptation: Mutation => Spontaneous (ΔG<0) endothermic (ΔH>0) transition at high-temperature (ΔH>0, ΔS>0).
      • From Adaptation to Genesis: Deviation => Spontaneous (ΔG<0) exothermic (ΔH<0) transition (ΔH<0, ΔS>0).
  • Changed the societal forms associated with the core system states/functions’ descriptors, to better align some core concepts from Anthropology. This is now a deviation from the original TIMN Framework, as Communities (Networks in the TIMN Framework, see version 6.1 changelog) were replaced by Bands, the simplest form of human society. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Genesis (Diversity): Bands.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Tribes.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Institutions.
    • Succession (Resilience): Markets.
  • Changed the core system states/functions’ descriptors and their meaning [ Societal Form | Governance Mechanism | Social Orientation | Real Opportunity (Valued Capability) | Real Danger (Dark Capability) ] to better align with some core concepts of Anthropology and Credibility Thesis. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Genesis (Diversity): Bands (was Communities) | Guidelines | Affinity | Equality (was Equity) | Deception.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Tribes | Conventions (was Customs) | Mutuality (was Equality) | Solidarity (was Responsibility) | Polarization.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Institutions | Policies | Reliability (was Sovereignty) | Credibility (was Reliability) | Corruption (was Totalitarianism).
    • Succession (Resilience): Markets | Agreements | Reciprocity | Generativity | Depletion.
  • Changed the constructor (social) axes’ gradients descriptors. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Stable Configuration (+ centralization, + crossdisciplinarity, + central planning (was formal planning).
    • Flexible Configuration (+ decentralization, + transdisciplinarity, + self-organization).
    • Close Interactions (+ tight coupling, + interdisciplinarity, + synchronicity).
    • Open interactions (+ loose coupling, + multidisciplinarity, + asynchronicity).
  • Changed the following life pattern name to better align conceptually with the other life patterns:
    • Succession (Resilience): Heterogenous Agents became Succession (Resilience): Heterogeneity.
  • Added Credibility Thesis to Acknowledgements.
  • Updated the HiveFlex Compass useful tabular data.
  • Upgraded the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.
  • Improved the HiveFlex Compass Framework model labels.

July 9, 2022 (version 7.0):

  • Added transition mechanisms between core system states/functions based on Evolutionary Biology, coupled with related archetypes and heuristics [ Archetype | Heuristics ]:
    • Constructor (social) transition mechanisms (anti-clockwise):
      • From Genesis to Adaptation: Exaptation [ Translators | Repurpose things ].
      • From Adaptation to Regulation: Selection [ Stressors | Choose things ].
      • From Regulation to Succession: Dispersion [ Spreaders | Transfer things ].
      • From Succession to Genesis: Recombination [ Catalysts | Blend things ].
    • Substrate (material) transition mechanisms (clockwise):
      • From Genesis to Succession: Differentiation [ Switchers | Derive things ].
      • From Succession to Regulation: Speciation [ Insulators | Split things ].
      • From Regulation to Adaptation: Mutation [ Disruptors | Change things ].
      • From Adaptation to Genesis: Deviation [ Shufflers | Randomize things ].
  • Changed the core system states/functions’ descriptors and their meaning [ Societal Form | Governance Mechanism | Social Orientation | Real Opportunity (Valued Capability) | Real Danger (Dark Capability) ]. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Genesis (Diversity): Communities | Guidelines | Affinity | Equity | Deception (was Manipulation).
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Tribes | Customs | Equality | Responsibility | Polarization.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Institutions | Policies | Sovereignty (was Authority) | Reliability | Totalitarianism (was Corruption).
    • Succession (Resilience): Markets | Agreements | Reciprocity | Generativity (was Sustainability) | Depletion (was Exploitation).
  • Changed and extended the constructor (social) axes’ gradients descriptors. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Stable Configuration (+ centralization, + crossdisciplinarity, + formal planning).
    • Flexible Configuration (+ decentralization, + transdisciplinarity (was interdisciplinarity), + self-organization).
    • Close Interactions (+ tight coupling, + interdisciplinarity (was transdisciplinarity), + synchronicity).
    • Open interactions (+ loose coupling, + multidisciplinarity, + asynchronicity).
  • Changed the Y-axis name to better align with core concepts of Thermodynamics:
    • System’s Internal + Flow Energy | Enthalpy (H) became Internal Energy + Flow Energy | Enthalpy (H).
  • Added useful tabular data:
    • System states/functions.
    • Substrate (material) transition mechanisms.
    • Constructor (social) transition mechanisms.
  • Upgraded the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.
  • Improved the HiveFlex Compass Framework model labels.

May 11, 2022 (version 6.1):

  • Added societal forms, inspired by the TIMN Framework, to the core system states/functions’ descriptors, but using Communities instead of Networks (as all communities are networks but not all networks are communities, and all other societal forms are networks):
    • Genesis (Diversity): Communities.
    • Succession (Resilience): Markets.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Institutions.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Tribes.
  • Added the default anti-clockwise evolutionary constructor (social) pathway (in blue), starting with Tribes, going through Institutions and Markets, and ending with Communities, giving rise to the following 4 core society types (TIMN/C Framework):
    1. Tribes (T).
    2. Tribes + Institutions (T+I).
    3. Tribes + Institutions + Markets (T+I+M).
    4. Tribes + Institutions + Markets + Communities (T+I+M+C).
  • Added the following short explanations to the default clockwise evolutionary substrate (material) pathway (in purple) to roughly match the Wardley Maps landscape descriptions:
    1. Genesis (“make things happen”): exploring new ideas and concepts.
    2. Succession (“make things last”): developing custom solutions, ad hoc projects, and new products/services.
    3. Regulation (“make things right”): building platforms, commodities, utilities, and related processes.
    4. Adaptation (“make things balance”): balancing and adjusting the system to the environmental changes.
  • Added the following core concepts from the Capability Approach to each Societal Form:
    • Real Opportunity, aka, Valued Capability.
    • Real Danger, aka, “Dark” Capability.
  • Changed and extended the core system states/functions’ descriptors and their meaning [ Societal Form | Governance Mechanism | Social Orientation | Real Opportunity (Valued Capability) | Real Danger (Dark Capability) ]. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Genesis (Diversity): Communities | Guidelines (was Agreement) | Affinity (was Reciprocity) | Equity | Manipulation.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Tribes | Customs (was Ritual) | Equality (was Solidarity) | Responsibility | Polarization.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Institutions | Policies (as Policy) | Authority (was Reliability) | Reliability | Corruption.
    • Succession (Resilience): Markets | Agreements (was Habit) | Reciprocity (was Capability) | Sustainability | Exploitation.
  • Added disciplinary interaction types (across knowledge fields) to the constructor (social) axes’ gradients: transdisciplinarity, cross-disciplinarity, multidisciplinarity, and interdisciplinarity.
  • Changed and extended the constructor (social) axes’ gradients descriptors. Full descriptors are now (changes are in bold):
    • Stable Configuration (+ centralization, + crossdisciplinarity).
    • Flexible Configuration (+ decentralization, + interdisciplinarity).
    • Close Interactions (+ tight coupling (was high coupling), + transdisciplinarity).
    • Open interactions (+ loose coupling, + multidisciplinarity).
  • Changed the following cognitive heuristics to better match our recent praxis within organizations:
    • Adaptation (Fitness): “Make multiple anew” became “Make things balance”.
  • Changed the following life pattern name to better align with some core concepts of Biology, Ecology, and Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS):
    • Succession (Resilience): Diverse Agents became Succession (Resilience): Heterogeneous Agents.
  • Reshuffled a few socio-technical and socio-ecological principles across some socio-natural patterns to better match the above phenomenology and praxis.
  • Added TIMN Framework to Acknowledgments.
  • Added Capability Framework to Acknowledgements.
  • Added disciplinary interaction types across knowledge fields to Acknowledgments.
  • Upgraded the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

March 28, 2022 (version 6.0):

  • Changed the following system state/function name to better match our recent praxis within organizations:
    • Procreation (Diversity) became Genesis (Diversity).
  • Changed the following socio-natural pattern name to better match our recent praxis within organizations:
    • “On Procreation – Encourage Diversity” became “On Genesis – Encourage Diversity”.
  • Changed the following cognitive heuristics to better match our recent praxis within organizations:
    • Succession (Resilience): “Make lasting things” became “Make things last”.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): “Make multiple things” became “Make things anew”.
  • Changed the following life pattern name to better match our recent praxis within organizations:
    • Succession (Resilience): Heterogeneous Agents became Succession (Resilience): Diverse Agents.
  • Changed the following core system archetype:
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Explorers became Adaptation (Fitness): Weavers. 
  • Changed the competing system dimensional axes’ pair name to align with the Constructor Theory Substrate concept (the system transformed):
    • Competing system dimensional axes became Substrate axes.
  • Extended the substrate (material) axes’ dimensions to better align with core concepts of Thermodynamics and Constructor Theory:
    • Stability became Stability (+ high inertia).
    • Reactivity became Reactivity (+ low inertia).
    • Synergy became Synergy (+ small scale).
    • Serendipity became Serendipity (+ large scale).
  • Added the following constructor (social) axes to align with the Constructor Theory’s Constructor concept (the agents transforming a system):
    • Stable Configuration (+ centralization) <> Flexible Configuration (+ decentralization).
    • Close Interactions (+ high coupling) <> Open interactions (+ low coupling).
  • Added the following core system states/functions’ descriptors (Social Orientation | Behavior Driver | Governance Mechanism):
    • Genesis (Diversity): Reciprocity oriented | Creativity driven | Agreement based.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Solidarity oriented | Ingenuity driven | Ritual based.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Reliability oriented | Efficiency driven | Policy based.
    • Succession (Resilience): Capability oriented | Effectiveness driven | Habit based.
  • Added Constructor Theory to Acknowledgments.
  • Upgraded the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

February 11, 2022 (version 5.2):

  • Changed the two competing system dimensional axes’ names to better align with core concepts of Thermodynamics:
    • Stability <> Flexibility became Stability <> Reactivity. 
    • Inward Focus <> Outward Serendipity became Synergy <> Serendipity.
  • Changed the Y-axis name to better align with core concepts of Thermodynamics:
    • System energy | Enthalpy (H) became System’s Internal + Flow Energy | Enthalpy (H).
  • Changed the following life pattern name to better align with some core concepts of Biology, Ecology, and Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS):
    • Succession (Resilience): Agents became Succession (Resilience): Heterogeneous Agents.
  • Changed the following system state/function name to better align with core concepts of Evolutionary Biology:
    • Evolution (Diversity) became Procreation (Diversity).
  • Changed the following socio-natural pattern name to better align with core concepts of Evolutionary Biology:
    • “On Evolution – Encourage Diversity” became “On Procreation – Encourage Diversity”.
  • Updated the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

February 7, 2022 (version 5.1):

  • Changed the following cognitive heuristics:
    • Succession (Resilience): “Make things last” became “Make lasting things”.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): “Make things fit” became “Make multiple things”.
  • Changed the following competing system dimensional axis:
    • Intentionality <> Serendipity became Inward Focus <> Outward Serendipity.
  • Changed the following principle:
    • “Increase optionality, redundancy, and diversity” became “Increase optionality, redundancy, and multiscale variety”.
  • Added the 4 original life patterns that inspired the Compass’ 4 socio-natural patterns back in 2019 (v1):
    • Evolution (Diversity): Offspring.
    • Succession (Resilience): Agents.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Wholeness.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Relationships.
  • Added “Energy dispersal” as a second definition for Entropy (S).
  • Updated the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

February 1, 2022 (version 5.0):

  • Added two additional axes for the following competing system dimensions:
    • Stability <> Flexibility.
    • Intentionality <> Serendipity.
  • Added core system archetypes for each system state/function:
    • Evolution (Diversity): Pioneers.
    • Succession (Resilience): Settlers.
    • Regulation (Coherence): Stewards.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): Explorers.
  • Added cognitive heuristics for each system state/function:
    • Evolution (Diversity): “Make things happen”.
    • Succession (Resilience): “Make things last”.
    • Regulation (Coherence): “Make things right”.
    • Adaptation (Fitness): “Make things fit”.
  • Changed the following principle:
    • “Decentralize value creation and integrate value chains” became “Decentralize value creation and map potential value chains”.
  • Reshuffled a few socio-technical and socio-ecological principles across some socio-natural patterns to better match the above phenomenology and praxis.
  • Upgraded the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

January 5, 2022 (version 4.1):

  • Changed the following socio-natural pattern name (following feedback) to improve phenomenology (the way we perceive things and socially enact meaning), better align with the Biology end Ecology fields, and also map/abstract all 4 socio-natural patterns not only to system states but also to system functions:
    • “On Organization – Improve Coherence:” became “On Regulation – Improve Coherence:”.
  • Updated the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

January 3, 2022 (version 4.0):

  • Changed all socio-natural patterns’ names to improve phenomenology (the way we perceive things and socially enact meaning):
    • “Encourage Evolution:” became “On Evolution – Encourage Diversity:”.
    • “Increase Resilience:” became “On Succession – Increase Resilience:”.
    • “Improve Coherence:” became “On Organization – Improve Coherence:”.
    • “Promote Cooperation:” became “On Adaptation – Promote Fitness:”.
  • Changed the following 2 principles:
    • “Protect and restore natural and cultural heritage” became “Preserve and restore natural and cultural heritage”.
    • “Disintermediate information and synthesize common knowledge” became “Disintermediate information and codify common knowledge”.
  • Reshuffled all socio-technical and socio-ecological principles across all socio-natural patterns to better match the above phenomenology and praxis.
  • Improved ontology (the way things are): main system states (evolution, succession, organization, adaptation) and system properties (diversity, resilience, coherence, fitness).
  • Improved epistemology (the way we know things and make decisions): added enthalpy (system energy) and entropy (degrees of freedom) from physics/chemistry as core system dimensions/concepts (typology) and core processes for each system state (emergence, divergence, convergence, inference).
  • Upgraded the HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

August 13, 2021 (version 3.0):

  • Changed all socio-natural patterns’ names:
    • “On divergence and innovation:” became “Increase Resilience:”.
    • “On interdependence and stewardship:” became “Promote Cooperation:”.
    • “On convergence and coherence:” became “Improve Coherence:”.
    • “On self-integration and evolution:” became “Encourage Evolution:”.
  • Changed the following sentences:
    • In the 2nd paragraph: “… it is imperative that we leverage the collective…” became “… we must leverage the collective…”.
  • Added Open Organizational Patterns to Acknowledgments.
  • Added the first HiveFlex Compass Framework model.

December 13, 2019 (version 2.0):

  • Added 4 new principles:
    • Start small, explore the edges, and value the marginal.
    • Apply self-regulation and respond positively to feedback.
    • Value, use, and store local renewable resources and energy.
    • Generate a yield through reciprocal relationships over time.
  • Changed the following 8 principles:
    • “Nurture all life and nature” became “Work with nature and nurture all life”.
    • “Respect cultural heritage” became “Protect and restore natural and cultural heritage”.
    • “Increase optionality, redundancy, and variety” became “Increase optionality, redundancy, and diversity”.
    • “Make people safe and provide opportunities for all” became “Build safety in and provide opportunities for all”.
    • “Develop people and human sensor networks” became “Develop human intelligence and human-sensor networks”.
    • “Scale modularity, recombination, and above all, trust” became “Scale decomposition, recombination, and above all, trust”.
    • “Protect privacy and facilitate social interactions” became “Protect privacy and foster interactions through open protocols”.
    • “Disintermediate information and synthesize knowledge” became “Disintermediate information and synthesize common knowledge”.
  • Changed the following sentences:
    • In the 2nd paragraph: “… to design and guide viable, resilient and healthy organizations and societies…” became “… to design, guide and regenerate viable, resilient and healthy socio-technical and socio-ecological systems…”.
    • In the last paragraph: “… for organizations and societies to co-evolve…” became “… for socio-technical and socio-ecological systems to co-evolve…”.
    • In the last paragraph: “… and ambiguous world” became “… and ambiguous world we currently live in.”.
  • Added Biomimetics, Permaculture, and Ecosystem Ecology & Services to Acknowledgments.
  • Added appropriate links to all scientific and empirical fields to Acknowledgments.

September 13, 2019 (version 1.0):

  • Original version.
  • Original 4 socio-natural patterns.
  • Original 16 socio-technical and socio-ecological principles.

Between 2017 and 2018 (versions 0.x):

  • HiveFlex Compass Creators developed several 0.x versions that were never published.
  • HiveFlex Compass Creators defined the basic structure of the HiveFlex Compass: a set of socio-technical/ecological principles organized into 4 socio-natural patterns.
  • HiveFlex Compass Creators explored the intersection between Life’s core properties/patterns (as defined in Biology and Ecology and synthesized in Thrivability) and the core principles behind Intelligent Urbanism, a set of axioms intended to guide the formulation of city plans and urban designs, aka, cities, the cradle of our civilization and also one of the most complex adaptive systems ever built by the Homo Sapiens Sapiens.

Photo credits: Suzanne D. Williams.