In practice, they are not a series of separate items to tick off in a sequence. Rather they are a set of connected ideas, to keep returning to during the partnering lifecycle. Just as a physical building needs to be maintained through regular attention to different parts that can go wrong at any time – the drainage, the windows, the roof – so a partnership should be maintained through paying regular attention to these critical ideas. And, of course, it is easier (and cheaper!) to fix a problem before it occurs.
While in a world of infinite time and resource, all the elements of all the building blocks would be put in place from the beginning, a pragmatic balance is essential.
What’s important is for all partners to be aware of the building blocks, agree which are the most essential depending on the level of complexity of the partnership, and commit to continually monitoring and improving on them as the partnership continues to develop and iterate.