Network Archetypes

Five fundamental patterns for understanding and modeling complex systems.

Archetype Description Examples
🔀
Associative
Free-Form Ideation
 Dynamic, exploratory networks where nodes and edges emerge organically during ideation. Nodes represent concepts, ideas, or entities. Edges capture relationships that are discovered, not predetermined—"suggests," "conflicts with," "validates," "combines with." Used for brainstorming, creative problem-solving, and mapping emergent patterns.
  • Product Innovation Workshop
  • Strategic Planning Retreat
  • Creative Writing Story Development
  • Research Topic Exploration
  • Startup Pivot Brainstorm
📊
Hierarchical
Context & Containment
 Defines ownership, scope, and reporting structures through parent-child relationships. Container nodes establish boundaries and context. Used to represent organizational charts, taxonomies, bill of materials, and scoping relationships. The fundamental "who owns what" and "what contains what" pattern.
  • Organization Structure
  • Boeing 787 Bill of Materials
  • Government Org Chart
  • Product Component Hierarchy
  • File System Structure
→
Flow
Sequence & Movement
 Captures movement of value, data, or materials through time and space. Edges define hand-offs, triggers, and sequences. Nodes are stages, stations, or transformation points. Used for process mapping, value streams, data pipelines, and operational workflows. Emphasizes "what happens next" and triggers.
  • Pizza Restaurant Operations
  • LLM Inference Process
  • Supply Chain Logistics
  • Customer Journey Map
  • Manufacturing Assembly Line
🔒
Dependency
Logic & Prerequisites
 Defines gating logic, prerequisites, and conditions for execution. Edges represent "requires," "depends on," "blocks," or "enables." Used for project planning, compliance frameworks, technical dependencies, and decision trees. Answers "what must be true before X can happen?"
  • Financial Statement Relationships
  • Software Build Dependencies
  • Regulatory Approval Process
  • Project Schedule (CPM)
  • Scientific Experiment Protocol
🌐
Ecosystem
Environment & Actors
 Maps external influences, stakeholders, and actors surrounding a central entity. Nodes are players, forces, or environmental factors. Edges capture influence, competition, partnership, or impact. Used for competitive analysis, stakeholder mapping, and understanding the broader context in which something operates.
  • Elon Musk Company Network
  • Competitive Landscape Map
  • Healthcare Stakeholder Ecosystem
  • Political Influence Network
  • Industry Value Chain Partners

Using Archetypes

Clarity: Archetypes provide a shared vocabulary for describing network structure and purpose, reducing ambiguity in complex system modeling.

Composition: Most real-world systems combine multiple archetypes. An organization (hierarchical) has workflows (flow), dependencies between teams (dependency), and operates in a competitive environment (ecosystem).

Evolution: Networks can shift archetypes as they mature. An associative brainstorm may crystallize into a hierarchical structure, which then reveals dependencies and flows.

N
Network Explorer

Network Navigator

Explore complex systems through interactive network visualizations.