The document introduces the S3 Delegation Canvas, a tool created by Bernhard Bockelbrink for negotiating, clarifying, and evolving the delegation of domains to people. The canvas helps foster shared understanding between delegators and delegatees, and find the right balance of autonomy and influence. It can be used for departments, teams, roles, and other domains within hierarchical and post-hierarchical organizations. The document outlines a ten step process for using the canvas and provides examples of its applications.

1. The S3 Delegation Canvas
Bernhard Bockelbrink
@ International Sociocracy Online Conference
2018
http://s3canvas.sociocracy30.org
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2. S3 Delegation
Canvas
A tool for negotiating,
clarifying and evolving
the delegation of a
domain to people
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3. Domains and Delegation
• A domain is a distinct area of influence,
activity and decision making within an
organization.
• Domains are delegated to people: (e.g. a
unit, department, team, circle, open
domain, role, position)
• delegator is accountable for a domain
• delegator delegates (part of) that
domain to delegatee
• both delegator and delegatee are
accountable for success
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4. Delegation and Structure
Delegation:
• creates organizational structure
through distribution of work
• is essential for effectiveness of
organization
• may enable or prevent trust, autonomy
and development
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5. S3 Delegation Canvas
A tool for negotiating, clarifying
and evolving the delegation of a
domain to people
• foster shared understanding
• find a fitting balance between autonomy
and influence
• manage dependencies and constraints
• clarify expectations
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6. Development
• enable iterative, collaborative and
hypothesis-driven development
• for individuals
• for the organization
• build trust and autonomy
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7. Applications
• departments
• teams
• circles
• open domains
• roles
• positions
• tasks
• projects
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8. Applications (cont.)
• filling in a canvas takes 45-60 minutes
• no assumptions about structure:
hierarchical and post-hierarchical
organizations
• new domains and existing domains
(delegation game)
• start small: only use what appears
valuable right now, you can still add the
rest later!
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9. Ten Steps
To Delegation
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10. Bernhard Bockelbrink (v2018-05-01) - evolvingcollaboration.com 10

11. Developing a delegation
• bring together delegator, delegatee(s) and stakeholders in a peer
review
• use what you learned to update the delegation canvas
• co-create a development plan (and get consent from all
stakeholders)
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12. The Delegation Game
Applications:
• define and delegate a new domain
• develop shared understanding and reveal misconceptions about
an existing domain (role, position, team, department etc. )
Length:
• 30-60 mins
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13. The Delegation Game (2)
Participants:
• delegator(s)
• delegatee(s)
Materials needed:
• a delegation canvas for each participant
• pens
• flipchart
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14. The Delegation Game (3)
• allow for 15 minutes for each participant to fill in their canvas
individually
• go through each section together: compare notes and agree on
text for that section
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15. Other Canvases
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16. Bernhard Bockelbrink (v2018-05-01) - evolvingcollaboration.com 16

17. Bernhard Bockelbrink (v2018-05-01) - evolvingcollaboration.com 17

18. Q & A
• download the S3 Canvas Series: http://s3canvas.sociocracy30.org
• S3 - A practical guide http://sociocracy30.org/guide
• S3 Website http://sociocracy30.org (with newsletter)
• translate S3: http://bit.ly/translate-s3
• My Blog http://evolving-collaboration.com
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19. Bernhard Bockelbrink is an agile coach,
trainer and consultant supporting
individuals, teams and organizations in
navigating complex challenges and
developing a culture of effective, conscious
and joyful collaboration.
evolvingcollaboration.com --
bernhard.bockelbrink@gmail.com---
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20. License
This work by Bernhard Bockelbrink licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view
a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/.
This work is based on "S3 - All patterns explained" by Bernhard
Bockelbrink and James Priest, available on http://sociocracy30.org
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