Method guide · Progress through phases
What, So What, Now What
Separate observed facts, interpretations, and next actions when reflecting on an event.
- People
- 4–70
- Base procedure time
- 25 minutes
- Recording
- Shared record
Purpose: Reflect and learn; Make a decision; Explore through dialogue.
English guide
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How this method works
A reflective conversation that moves in order through facts, meaning, and a next step. Use it when feelings or conclusions come first after an event, reasons for failure are assumed from a single perspective, or meetings tend to end without a clear next action. Moving the question one stage at a time from observable facts to interpretation and then action allows different interpretations without mixing assumptions with facts. The result is a three-column record of shared facts, the meanings drawn from them, and a responsible person and first step. Do not use it on its own for emergency command or an investigation intended to complete the verification of facts.
Phase schedule
Minutes are cumulative from the start of the base plan, not a live timer. Read scaling for any additional time. Phase controls do not advance automatically.
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- Present the question0–2 minutes from the start (2 minutes)
Action: Present. Participation: Everyone.
Recording not separately specified for this phase
- Trace the facts2–8 minutes from the start (6 minutes)
Action: Trace. Participation: Groups of 4–7.
Individual record
- Interpret the meaning8–14 minutes from the start (6 minutes)
Action: Interpret. Participation: Groups of 4–7.
Shared record
- Choose a next step14–20 minutes from the start (6 minutes)
Action: Choose. Participation: Groups of 4–7.
Shared record
- Confirm a commitment20–25 minutes from the start (5 minutes)
Action: Confirm. Participation: Everyone.
Shared record
Facilitation steps
- For 2 minutes, choose one event to reflect on and display the first question: ‘What happened?’
- For 1 minute, each person writes the facts and observations they saw or heard, one item at a time, in the ‘What happened?’ column.
- For 3 minutes, groups of 4–7 read their ‘What happened?’ entries aloud and check where they overlap without adding assumptions.
- For 2 minutes, each group records one important fact in the whole-group ‘What happened?’ column.
- For 6 minutes, take ‘What do we learn from this?’ through one cycle of individual writing, small-group sharing, and whole-group recording, in that order.
- For 6 minutes, take ‘What will we do next?’ through one cycle of individual writing, small-group sharing, and whole-group recording, in that order.
- For 5 minutes, everyone confirms one next action with a named responsible person and deadline, and finalises it as a commitment.
If something changes
If
Two minutes after small-group sharing of ‘What happened?’ begins, each group has fewer than 2 recorded facts.
Then
Restate the instruction as ‘Only what you saw or heard’ and give each person 30 seconds to add one item.
If
In the whole-group record for ‘What do we learn from this?’, 3 consecutive entries say what should be done and none states a meaning.
Then
Put ‘What we learn from this fact is …’ before each proposal and rewrite it as a statement of meaning.
If
Three minutes after small-group sharing of ‘What will we do next?’ begins, no proposal includes both a responsible person and a first step.
Then
Limit proposals to actions possible within the next 24 hours, then choose one and add the responsible person's name.
Preparation
Materials
- One three-column sheet per person: what happened, what we learn from it, and what we will do next
- One dark-coloured pen per person
- One large sheet of paper or whiteboard for the whole-group record, with space for all 3 columns
Room and setup
- One island table per evenly sized group of 4–7, and one whole-group recording surface visible to everyone
Adjust for people and time
With fewer than 4 people, shorten the method to an individual record because there is little comparison of facts and interpretations. Up to 70 people, divide participants evenly into groups of 4–7, with no group larger than 7, and work through the 3 questions. Above 70, form groups of no more than 7. A representative from each group transfers just one next action to the whole-group record, and only representatives take part in whole-group sharing.
Safety and non-applicable situations
Keep assumptions separate from observed facts and allow different interpretations. Do not treat this method alone as emergency command or completed fact verification. Confirm the responsible person and deadline for the chosen next action.
Historical translation and source notes
These original notes are retained verbatim with their fixed source versions. This historical label does not resolve a source-specific concern or establish current acceptance.
- The source says to shorten the method to an individual record below 4 participants but does not specify a revised duration or shortened sequence. This draft does not invent one.
Manuscript's recorded references
These translate the original manuscript's source and rights claims. They remain separate from any current-page notice below; they do not establish new verification.
- Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026): What, So What, Now What — Henri Lipmanowicz / Keith McCandless / Nancy White
https://www.liberatingstructures.com/what-so-what-now-what
Adaptation under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes made
- CC BY-SA 4.0
Current-page licence notice
This explanation is an adaptation for Taiwa no Fumen based on the official Liberating Structures page linked below. The manuscript's recorded references are listed separately from the web page checked on 17 October 2026.
Changes: the Japanese explanation and facilitation plan have been edited for Taiwa no Fumen. The English edition translates that Japanese manuscript; it is not a verbatim translation of the official page.
The LS-adapted text on this page, including this site's editorial and translation contributions, is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. When reusing it, credit the creators, identify the source and licence, indicate changes, and follow the licence's ShareAlike terms when sharing adaptations.
This site's notation diagrams and on-screen illustrations explain the facilitation process. They are not presented as official LS icons.
Method names are used to identify their sources. This is not an official LS website, and no endorsement or approval by the creators or rights holders is implied.
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Credits on the checked source page
- Developed by: Henri Lipmanowicz, Keith McCandless
Related work credited on that page: Chris Argyris; Ladder of Inference; Reasoning, Learning, and Action: Individual and Organizational (1982).
Source page checked on 2026-10-17: What, So What, Now What (W3).
Source lineage
- Original repertoire (2013): Henri Lipmanowicz, Keith McCandless
- 2026 Fieldbook: Keith McCandless, Nancy White
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International · Legal code · Official source policy
This material-specific notice does not itself establish publication clearance. Preserved manuscript references above remain separate from the current page's credits and licence evidence.
Diagram, print, and video language
Original Japanese guide, diagram, and print view. Their labels and print text have not been translated; an English print edition is not provided here.
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The manual English phase controls are a navigation aid, not a live facilitation timer. Interactive diagram motion remains pending.
Editorial provenance
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