The emergent dimension
Chapter 1 - Worldview
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Welcome to The emergent dimension page
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Key takeways
Dimensions are guiding metaphors for the complex reality that we are and our context is. They structure the totality of our world of experiences
Direction provides the 'expansiveness' of your world model
Hidden layers are fields created by the 'action' and 'evaluation' dimension
- On top, all layers together create the third 'potention' dimension
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Core idea
Potention dimension
The first two dimensions, action and evaluation, create hidden layers, which form a third potention dimension between competence and relevance in relation to your context.
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Here we describe the directions of the third dimension created by the hidden layers.
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The potention dimension spreads between:
- "My competences" (COMPETENCES) to
- "The relevance of actions for the bigger situation" (RELEVANCE), creating PROCESSES
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| From "My competences": COMPETENCES |
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| Human competences refers to the ability to do something well or effectively. It can refer to a specific skill or knowledge, working well in a team, or solving problems.
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| To "The relevance of actions for the bigger situation": RELEVANCE |
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| Relevance refers to the relationship or connection between something and the context in which it is being considered. Something relevant is related or applicable to the situation or problem at hand and is, therefore, essential or valuable to consider.
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Dive deeper
Hereafter, we describe a logical string of concepts that bridges Competences to Relevance (in the broader context), moving from the agents individual inward capability outward to systemic meaning.
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An overview of the POTENTION dimension
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| Competences | Competences are the combination of knowledge, skills, and attitudes a person or organisation (agency) possesses and can reliably deploy in a given domain. |
| Capability | Competences, when validated and contextually ready, translate into capability as the potential to perform effectively in a specific role or situation. While competence describes what someone can do, capability answers whether they are ready to do it here and now. |
| Performance | Performance is the observable, measurable execution of tasks and responsibilities. It is the first concrete result of the competence meeting context. |
| Output | Output is the tangible product, service, decision, or deliverable produced. Output is still close to the individual or team: it is what is made or done, not yet what it changes. |
| Outcome | Outcome is the specific, attributable change in knowledge, behaviour, conditions, or relationships among those affected. The chain moves from 'what we did' to 'what changed because of it'. |
| Impact | Impact is the long-term, systemic transformation that goes beyond any single agent or intervention. Impact is diffuse, cumulative, and often only visible in retrospect. |
| Relevance | An agent's impact recognised as meaningful within broader societal, ecological, or civilisational systems constitutes relevance in the degree to which the agent's actions and consequences matter to the larger whole. |
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