Template Standards
When does a thinking pattern become a reliable instrument?
A template becomes a standard when it has defined inputs, predictable outputs, and a feedback loop that improves it. Without that, it's a suggestion — useful once, unrepeatable, unjudgeable.
The Spec
Every template on the inventory must pass this spec to qualify as a standard.
| Property | Definition | Test |
|---|---|---|
| Inputs | What you bring to it | Can someone start with only what the template asks for? |
| Outputs | What it produces | Does the output have a defined shape, not just "insight"? |
| Question | The single question it answers | Is the question specific enough to fail? |
| Binding | What holds the parts together | Remove one element — does the template collapse? |
| Feedback | How the output improves the input | Does using it once make the second use better? |
A template without feedback is a checklist. A template with feedback is an instrument.
Template Classes
Templates serve different cognitive functions. The class determines the quality threshold.
| Class | Function | Quality Signal | Failure Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maps | Make structure visible | Reader sees what was invisible | Decorative diagram with no gap revealed |
| Canvases | Force completeness | Every cell demands an answer | Cells filled with filler, no tension |
| Reasoning | Compress judgment | Faster, more reliable decisions | Framework applied without adapting to context |
| Instruments | Produce actionable output | Output feeds the next step | Output sits in a document, never used |
| Loops | Compound over cycles | Each pass starts from higher baseline | Loop runs but baseline doesn't move |
The inventory lists every template on the site. These classes describe how they function.
The Deming Loop
PDCA applied to templates themselves.
| Step | Applied to Templates | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Pick the template. Define the question. Identify inputs. | Clear scope |
| Do | Fill it in. Resist editing while filling — capture first. | Raw output |
| Check | Does the output answer the question? What gaps remain? | Variance signal |
| Act | Update the template or your understanding. Which? | Better baseline |
The Act step is the standard's ratchet. If the template never changes, you're using it as a form. If your understanding never changes, the template isn't working.
Template × System
The same template asks different questions depending on which navigation system you point it at. Cross the inventory with three systems and you get 30 distinct questions from the same instruments.
| System | What the Template Diagnoses | Standard Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Alignment with what matters | Output references values, not just metrics |
| Belief | Assumptions and predictions | Output surfaces testable beliefs |
| Control | Feedback loop integrity | Output identifies broken sensors or actuators |
A template used in only one system is underutilised. A template that produces the same output regardless of system is broken.
Anti-Patterns
| Pattern | Why It Fails |
|---|---|
| Template as decoration | Filled in after the decision, not before |
| Template as authority | "The canvas says X" — the canvas is an instrument, not an oracle |
| Template without feedback | Used once, filed, never revisited |
| Template without binding | Five boxes that don't interact — a list, not a system |
| Template applied universally | Same template for every problem regardless of context |
Commissioning
Templates mature through stages, same as any commissioning sequence.
| Stage | Evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Defined | Has inputs, outputs, question, binding | Spec exists |
| Tested | Used on at least one real problem | Proof of concept |
| Proven | Used across multiple contexts with consistent output quality | Standard |
| Documented | Has a page on the inventory with a story | Referenceable |
The gap between Tested and Proven is where most templates die. One successful use creates false confidence. The standard is repeated success across contexts.
Context
- Templates — The inventory of every template on the site
- Process Optimisation — PDCA loop that templates follow
- Navigation System — The three systems every template can diagnose
- Content Questions — Questions standard applied to every page
- Naming Standards — How templates get labelled consistently
- First Principles — Systematically establish what's true before filling templates
Questions
What would change if you held every template to the same standard you hold code — defined inputs, expected outputs, and a test that can fail?
- Which templates in the inventory currently lack a feedback loop — and is that why they aren't compounding?
- When a template produces the same answer regardless of which system you point it at, is the template broken or is the operator?
- What's the difference between a template that improves your thinking and one that merely organises it?