1984
Pattern: Four-level structural limit
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Part of a 5-fold Pattern Language.
Subsequently published in Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential (1986)
Pattern template
Within any framework the number of structural levels varies, with the highest number of levels tending to occur towards the centre. It is desirable that the majority of structures should not have more than four levels because of the confusion that more complex structures tend to engender.Physical Within any urban area the heights of buildings will vary, with the highest tending to be towards the centre. It is desirable that the majority of buildings, especially those destined for human habitation, should not be more than four stories in height. Higher buildings are destructive of the urban environment, offer few genuine advantages, and are psychologically harmful.
Social Within any society or organization the number of hierarchical levels (or classes) will vary, with the highest number tending to be towards the centre of any such organizational complex. It is desirable that the majority of organizations, especially those associated with the daily life of a community, should not have more than four such levels. Organizations with more hierarchical levels are destructive of social life, offer few genuine advantages, and are psychologically harmful.
Conceptual Within any conceptual framework the number of conceptual or category levels will vary, with the highest tending to be towards the centre of the framework. It is desirable that the majority of conceptual structures, especially those destined for frequent use by non-specialists, should be based on not more than four levels. More complex structures tend to confuse the conceptual environment, offer few genuine advantages, and are psychologically disturbing.
Psychic Within any mode of awareness the number of levels of self-reflectiveness, subtlety or degree of apprehension will vary, with the highest number tending to be associated with the core of the person's being. It is desirable that the majority of perceptual modes, especially those required in normal daily life, should not involve more than four such levels. Modes of awareness based on a greater number of levels tend to confuse, offer few genuine advantages, and are psychologically harmful.
Broader Access to intensity; Network of inter-relationships; Interpretation of complementary modes of organization.
Narrower Points of wider perspective; Integrating a new dimension; Complexification of perspective contexts; Limitation on number of structural levels; Coherent pattern of relationship densities; Stable density gradient of local relationships; Minimal distance between related operational control contexts.
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