Example 1.5.2.9 (Square Diagrams in an $\infty $-Category). Let $I$ denote the partially ordered set $[1] \times [1]$. The simplicial set $\operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(I) \simeq \Delta ^1 \times \Delta ^1$ has four vertices (given by the elements of $I$), five nondegenerate edges, and two nondegenerate $2$-simplices. Unwinding the definitions, we see that an $I$-indexed diagram in an $\infty $-category $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ is equivalent to the following data:
A collection of objects $\{ C_{ij} \} _{0 \leq i,j \leq 1}$ in $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$.
A collection of morphisms $f: C_{00} \rightarrow C_{01}$, $g: C_{00} \rightarrow C_{10}$, $f': C_{10} \rightarrow C_{11}$, $g': C_{01} \rightarrow C_{11}$, and $h: C_{00} \rightarrow C_{11}$.
A $2$-simplex $\sigma $ of $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ which witnesses $h$ as a composition of $f$ with $g'$, and a $2$-simplex $\tau $ of $\operatorname{\mathcal{C}}$ which witnesses $h$ as a composition of $g$ with $f'$.
This data can be depicted graphically as follows:
Beware that such a diagram is usually not determined by its restriction to the simplicial subset $K \subseteq \operatorname{N}_{\bullet }(I)$ of Example 1.5.2.8.