structural-tension-charting

name

structural-tension-charting

description

Guide for creating and managing structural tension charts using Robert Fritz's methodology. Use when users want to define goals/desired outcomes, create action plans, track progress on creative projects, telescope action steps into sub-charts, refine goals, or review progress using the Creator Moment of Truth process. Depends on creative-orientation for foundational principles and delayed-resolution for tension maintenance.

Structural Tension Charting

Chart Components

1. Desired Outcome — What the person wants to create (not solve)
2. Current Reality — Honest assessment of where they are now
3. Action Steps — Strategic secondary choices supporting the primary goal

⚠️ CRITICAL: Action Steps Are NOT a To-Do List

Action Steps ARE:

• Strategic secondary choices that SUPPORT the primary goal
• Understood IN THE CONTEXT of structural tension
• Related to each other as part of an overview strategy
• A BLUEPRINT for the creative process

Action Steps ARE NOT: Items on a checklist. Independent tasks. Detailed instructions. Problems to solve.

The Test: "If we took these steps, would we achieve this result?" If No → add more strategic steps.

Telescoping: Action Steps ARE Charts

Each action step is itself a complete structural tension chart:

• The action step title becomes the "Desired Outcome" of its own chart
• Can be expanded with its own current reality and sub-actions

Master Chart (Level 0)
├── Action Step 1 → Telescoped Chart (Level 1)
│   ├── Sub-action 1 → Sub-chart (Level 2)
│   └── Sub-action 2 → Sub-chart (Level 2)
└── Action Step 2 → Telescoped Chart (Level 1)

Choice Hierarchy

• : The desired outcome — what you fundamentally want to create