Cluster
Self-Similar Scaling
Purpose
A Cluster is a team of Bases (similar to a Crew being a team of people). The goal of a Cluster is for multiple Bases to work together on one large product or service.
Teams exist not only within a Base. Multiple Bases can also team up to get something done. Within one Base, we call such a team a Crew. When multiple Bases join forces, we call them a Cluster. (And when various Leagues are collaborating, we call them a Coalition.)
Clusters typically consist of between three to seven Bases. They are, to a large extent, autonomous and self-organizing. We say "to a large extent" because there are always some constraints on self-organization imposed by a Governance Cluster (aka the management team of the League). Clusters might have the autonomy to decide on their own objectives, processes, roles, and membership. They are a time-bound team on a mission to get something done.
Notes
The unFIX model is fractal, which means that the same patterns repeat themselves under different names. Crews (in Bases), Clusters (in Leagues), and Coalitions (in Crowds) are all surprisingly similar. They are just applicable at different scales. To understand how Clusters work, you should first have some experience with Crews.
Rules / Constraints
A Cluster is a small group of Bases that work together.
The Cluster exists for (at least) the duration of a defined mission.
The Cluster is, to a large extent, autonomous and self-organizing.
There is no manager on the Cluster managing the other Cluster members.
“Anything you build on a large scale or with intense passion invites chaos.”
(Source: Francis Ford Coppola)