1. What “ERM’ness” Is

ERM’ness is Jigsaw’s term for the degree to which any piece of the system is fit for purpose across all three dimensions of fitness for purpose:

1. Operational fit
2. Universal fit
3. Strategic fit

A control with strong ERM’ness is:

• practically effective in the real environment,
• usable and trusted by the people applying it, and
• aligned with what the organization is actually trying to achieve.

In other words:

ERM’ness = the completeness and maturity of fitness-for-purpose across operational, universal, and strategic dimensions.

It is the indicator that a control is not just present — but effective, credible, and meaningfully connected to organizational objectives.

2. How the Three Dimensions of Fitness Work Together

ERM’ness is built from the three fitness-for-purpose lenses:

A. Operational Fit (Practical Effectiveness in Context)

Derived directly from the control’s design and the environment in which it operates.

It answers: “Will this control actually reduce risk here?”

B. Universal Fit (Lived Experience & Human Factors)

Derived from the behaviors, understanding, capacity, and culture of the people expected to use the control.

It answers: “Will people understand it, use it, trust it, and sustain it?”

C. Strategic Fit (Alignment With Objectives & Purpose)

Derived from the organization’s Why — its vision, values, Swans, environments, operating model, and risk sets.

It answers: “Does this control advance what the organization is trying to achieve?”

Strategic fit cannot exist in abstraction — it must come from the Why.

3. Why Strategic Fit Emerges Slowly

Early in Jigsaw, an organization’s “Why” is only partially developed.

This means:

• Objectives are not fully articulated
• Values are not yet operationalized
• Swans and risk logic are not yet mapped
• System Goals are not yet defined
• Environments and the operating model are incomplete
• Risk Sets are only just emerging

Because strategic fit must be assessed against something, early assessments naturally rely on:

• provisional assumptions,
• basic values interpretations,
• early directional judgements.

This is not a flaw — it is expected.

Strategic fit strengthens only as the Why becomes more complete.

Full ERM’ness develops over time, not at the start.

This is why Jigsaw repeatedly emphasizes that a system is built iteratively and becomes more powerful with each cycle.

4. ERM’ness as a Maturity Curve

ERM’ness is not binary — it grows.

Early Stage (Low ERM’ness)

Operational and universal fit may be strong, but strategic fit is shallow.

Controls are functional but not yet integrated with mission, values, or Swans.

Developing Stage (Moderate ERM’ness)

As Why pieces mature, strategic fit becomes clearer.

Controls increasingly support objectives, reinforce values, and reduce uncertainty at the Swan level.

Mature Stage (High ERM’ness)

Full use of all three fitness lenses.

Controls:

• reduce uncertainty at all levels,
• support organizational purpose,
• integrate with the operating model,
• strengthen culture,
• reinforce other controls, and
• continuously improve through learning cycles.

High ERM’ness is both the product and the proof of a living system.

5. Why ERM’ness Matters in Jigsaw

ERM’ness is the point where:

• design meets context
• human behavior meets system structure
• safeguarding practice meets organizational purpose

Controls that lack ERM’ness:

• may exist but not work
• may be understood but ineffective
• may be used but misaligned
• may reduce risk in one area while increasing it elsewhere
• may drift easily
• may be indefensible under scrutiny

Controls with ERM’ness:

• reduce uncertainty
• work as intended
• are understood and trusted
• support mission and Swans
• reinforce organizational values
• create defensibility
• adapt over time

ERM’ness is what turns “a control” into “a system control.”

6. How to Use ERM’ness in Practice

After designing any control — whether it is a behavior requirement, a supervision routine, a communication practice, or an incident response piece — ask:

Operational Fit

• Does this work in our actual environment?
• Does it reduce exposure to risk?

Universal Fit

• Do people understand it and feel capable of using it?
• Will they trust it and use it consistently?

Strategic Fit

• Does this support our objectives, Swans, values, and system goals?
• Does it reduce the uncertainties in our SAM Risk Sets?

Early assessments will be weighted toward operational and universal fit.

As the Why matures, strategic fit becomes increasingly central.

7. Key Takeaway

ERM’ness is the Jigsaw measure of whether a control is truly “fit for purpose” — not just in theory, but in the real world, over time, and in alignment with what the organization exists to achieve.

It captures the essence of the Jigsaw system:

• iterative,
• purpose-driven,
• behaviorally grounded,
• uncertainty-focused,
• and continuously improving.

Full ERM’ness is not immediate.

It emerges as the Why becomes clear, the system matures, and the organization develops the capability to think and act through all three fitness lenses.