The Companionist Synthesis Loop
A Field Manual for Living Documents
For those who create with others—human, machine, or both.
For navigating complexity with clarity, critique, and action.
Not a doctrine. A workflow that moves with you.
What This Is
The Companionist Synthesis Loop is a method for crafting evolving documents through collaborative dialogue, structured critique, and action-oriented synthesis. It’s built for ethical, creative, or uncertain challenges, especially when working with AI or diverse teams.
It helps you:
- Start with a clear idea and test it through friction.
- Build critique into the process, not as an afterthought.
- Create artifacts that are resilient, actionable, and open to revision.
- Act on your work, not just refine it endlessly.
Use it to make something that matters—and moves the world forward.
Map of the Loop
Start with an idea. Test it through dialogue and dissent. Anchor it in principles. Act on it in the world.
Loop Sequence:
- Thesis: Name your core idea or question.
- Dialogue: Engage a co-thinker (AI or human) to reflect and expand.
- Rebuttal: Invite a meaningful critique or counterpoint.
- Tension Mapping: Compare the idea and critique for overlap and fractures.
- Anchors: Define principles that hold across tensions.
- Synthesis: Build a new document that resonates with clarity and action.
- Action/Exit: Share, test, or apply the document to make an impact.
Fast-Track Option: For time-constrained contexts, use the 10-Minute Loop Reset (see below).
Prompts for Each Step
These prompts guide you through the Loop with flexibility. Use what fits your context. The goal is progress, not perfection.
1. Thesis
What’s your starting point?
- “What idea or question matters to me right now?”
- “If I had to take a stand in one sentence, what would it be?”
- “What’s a belief I’m ready to test?”
2. Dialogue
Talk it out with a co-thinker.
- “What are the implications of this idea?”
- “Where might this idea be incomplete or unclear?”
- “What’s a thoughtful response to this—without just agreeing?”
3. Rebuttal
Invite a real challenge.
- “What’s a strong critique of this idea?”
- “What might someone overlooked or skeptical say?”
- “If this idea were adopted, what could go wrong?”
4. Tension Mapping
Find the overlap and the cracks.
- “Where do the idea and critique agree?”
- “Where do they split, and why?”
- “What assumptions do they share?”
5. Anchors
Name principles that endure.
- “What values hold across both views?”
- “What principle am I unwilling to abandon?”
- “What’s a testable stance I can build on?”
6. Synthesis
Write something true enough to act on.
- “What document can hold both views without flattening them?”
- “How can this artifact invite critique while taking a stand?”
- “What action does this synthesis enable?”
7. Action/Exit
Make it real.
- “Who needs to see this, and why?”
- “What’s one action this document can drive?”
- “How can I test this in the world?”
Fast-Track Loop: The 10-Minute Reset
For when time is tight but clarity is critical.
- Timer: Set 10 minutes.
- Thesis: Write one sentence capturing your idea.
- Rebuttal: Ask for a quick, skeptical take (e.g., “What’s the biggest flaw here?”).
- Anchors: Pick two principles that survive the critique.
- Synthesis: Write a short paragraph based on those anchors.
- Action: Name one next step (e.g., share with a colleague, test in a meeting).
- Stop: Decide to act or loop again with more focus.
Failure Modes & Fixes
If you’re stuck, you’re learning. Here’s how to move forward.
- Thesis Drift: Your idea feels vague or lost.
- Fix: Write one sentence answering, “What do I actually care about here?”
- Dialogue Overwhelm: AI responses are too much or too polished.
- Fix: Summarize the dialogue in your own words, without looking at it.
- Mirrorlock: You’re looping without progress.
- Fix: State one truth in a sentence and move to action.
- Performativity Spiral: It’s sounding good but feels hollow.
- Fix: Add something raw or personal. Ask, “What’s unsettling about this?”
- Rebuttal Collapse: The critique feels weak or fake.
- Fix: Prompt a sharper lens, e.g., “What would a skeptical expert say?”
- Anchor Confusion: Principles are vague or too many.
- Fix: Keep only three anchors. Test them with, “Do these guide action?”
- Action Avoidance: You’re tweaking instead of acting.
- Fix: Assign the document a job, e.g., “This is for [person/context].”
Rebuttal Ritual
Invite critique that sharpens, not just opposes.
- Choose a Lens:
- Skeptic: “Where does this fail logically?”
- Ethicist: “Who might this harm or exclude?”
- Practitioner: “How does this work in messy reality?”
- Prompt the Critique:
- “Give me a strong, respectful challenge to this idea.”
- “What’s a blind spot I’m missing?”
- “If this were applied, what could break?”
- Check Strength:
- Does it challenge assumptions?
- Does it reveal an uncomfortable truth?
- Does it make you want to rethink, not just defend?
Example: AI Policy Framework
Thesis: “AI policies should prioritize transparency to build public trust.”
Dialogue: AI reflects: Transparency reduces fear but increases complexity for developers.
Rebuttal: Practitioner counters: Transparency alone doesn’t address power imbalances or regulatory enforcement.
Tension: Both value trust; they differ on how to achieve it (process vs. power).
Anchors: Trust requires clarity; power must be accountable.
Synthesis: “AI policies must pair transparent design with enforceable accountability, ensuring users understand systems and can challenge misuse.”
Action: Shared with a policy working group, with a note: “Does this feel actionable for regulators and users?”
Why This Works
- Clarity through Friction: Structured critique sharpens ideas without smoothing them over.
- Built-in Dissent: Rebuttals and tension mapping ensure diverse perspectives shape the outcome.
- Testable Process: Anchors and action steps ground the Loop in measurable impact.
- Action-Oriented: The exit step ensures the document drives change, not just reflection.
- Accessible Design: The Fast-Track Loop and simplified prompts make it usable under constraints.
Use this Loop to create something that lives, breathes, and acts in the world.