™Explore the connections
How governance fits together
Explore who does what, who may act, and who answers to whom.
Select a concept for its pattern or a line for its relationship. Drag a concept to move it. With a keyboard, press Tab until a concept is highlighted, then use the arrow keys to move it.
Change the arrangement
For the same person and task
Use your own example
Change the people, task, or authority below, then select “An example”. You can leave fields blank. The map will mark the affected concepts and connections as incomplete. To add your own roles, policies, and relationships, open Map an arrangement.
The ideas behind the map
This activity explores five connected ideas from Plain Governance. Read the framework’s concepts and sentence patterns and connections.
The meeting example specifies particular responsibilities, authority, and accountability. The switches change which relationships are stated in the example. Examine the relevant sources and circumstances when assessing another arrangement.
In the fictional meeting, Alex retains responsibility for the wider task when delegating to Sam. Being accountable does not mean doing every part yourself. The scope of Sam’s responsibility and their own accountability must also be stated.
Connection notes
Adapted from Plain Governance, developed by Dr Julien Maréchal. © 2026 The Governance Practice. Framework materials are licensed under CC BY 4.0. Scope and attribution. Logos and website software are excluded from that licence.