The Coalition Architecture Design
Intentional design of coalition structures preventing both despotism and chaos.
Intentional design of coalition structures preventing both despotism and chaos. Based on the Minimum Winning Coalition principle from political science and primate behavior. Creates three-layer architecture (Core, Supporting, Broader) with specific maintenance activities for each layer.
When to Use The Coalition Architecture Design
Series A-B companies (20-100 people) when informal coalitions form organically. Use when you notice cliques, 'shadow org charts,' or some people always aligned on decisions. Skip if seed stage (<20), enterprise (100+), or coalitions already healthy.
How to Apply
Identify Power Blocks
Map organizational power by departments, levels, geographies, demographics
Outputs
- Power block inventory with strength ratings
Calculate Minimum Winning Coalition
Determine smallest combination of blocks representing >51% of power
Questions to Ask
- Which combination ensures stability?
- What's the smallest such combination?
Outputs
- Critical coalition definition
Design Three-Layer Architecture
Structure Core (3-5, daily, 60% attention), Supporting (10-15, weekly, 30%), Broader (30-50, monthly, 10%)
Outputs
- Named individuals/units in each layer
- Attention allocation plan
Define Maintenance Activities
Specify interaction cadences for each layer: Core (morning sync, immediate conflict resolution), Supporting (weekly reviews, monthly planning), Broader (monthly updates, quarterly town halls)
Outputs
- Calendar commitments
- Communication protocols
Remote Adaptation
If distributed: trade frequency for depth (1 weekly deep call = 5 brief check-ins), invest in written documentation, budget for quarterly in-person gatherings
Outputs
- Tool stack selection
- Face time budget
- Explicit norms document