Effective performance under pressure is generally underpinned by guiding structures that provide both a clear overview and practical detail.

Performance is not all or nothing: the effectiveness of what we do varies with the difficulty of the task and the level of pressure that we are under at the time. Usually, our performance is not 0 or 100% but is somewhere in the middle. This implies that there is usually room for improvement.
In competitive situations, small gains in performance can have significant implications in terms of the outcome.

The prime issue in performance is the control of attention: if we know what to place our attention on at any one time and can do this successfully, we have the greatest chance of success. Therefore, the key to effective performance is having a clear framework or structure that provides guidance about where our attention should be placed to complete a task.

In this way, structures can be seen to provide both the overview and the detail. They allow the individual to see or know where they are in the process and what they should be doing to be effective.

Frameworks or structures that can be drawn as a diagram are more practical because visual memory is recognised as being the most powerful. Visual frameworks or maps are of great value in guiding behaviour, particularly when the user is under pressure, such as in pressured sporting, classroom or boardroom environments.