Let's look at two case studies constructed to demonstrate how you would actually perform the 3-circle analysis. The first case study is very simple, and the second is slightly more complex.

In this case study, management is concerned about periodic and increasingly intense periods of performance slowdowns. Several key business processes are being affected, as well as general application performance. Management wants you to diagnose the system, recommend solutions, work with the various teams to ensure the solutions are implemented, and then confirm performance is back to previously accepted levels.

Using 3-circle analysis, you focus on each of the three circles, and then establish their interrelationships. Where you find overlap or where the relationship is the strongest, that's the bottleneck or the area that needs your immediate attention.