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Taiwa no FumenPractical methods for shared thinking

English edition: the full translation has not yet received an independent line-by-line review. Check the linked sources and method-specific limits before use. Japanese PDFs and videos remain labelled.

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User and citizen experience

Redesign a Confusing Service Journey

Observe where people become confused when using a service, then prototype improvements to guidance and procedures one scene at a time.

People
4–8
Session time
195 minutes
Format
In person

English session plan

Original program status: draft. Source safety category: Medium; this is not a guarantee of safety.

Preparation: More preparation. Facilitation team: Four roles, including someone with facilitation experience.

What this session can decide

Prototype improvements to guidance and procedures. The responsible authority finalises system requirements, benefit requirements, and official forms.

Outside its scope

  • Do not promise anything the governing system does not allow.
  • Do not use information about real applicants.
  • Do not attribute the cause to an individual staff member.

Primary caution: Do not promise anything the governing system does not allow.

Before starting

Question and scope
Observe where people become confused when using a service, then prototype improvements to guidance and procedures one scene at a time. Before starting, state the subject and time period in one sentence.
What this session decides
Prototype improvements to guidance and procedures. The responsible authority finalises system requirements, benefit requirements, and official forms.
Output recipient
The Recorder stores the final prototype record and revision points to test guidance text, handoffs, and users' responses on a small scale.
Participation and information boundaries
Explain the choices to pass, take a break, or leave. Keep personal information, confidential information, and attribute-based evaluation off the record surface. Assign Participant support separately.
Operating roles
Assign Lead facilitator, Recorder, Timekeeper, and Participant support before starting, and confirm who announces switching and stopping.
Next review
Set a review date, viewers, and the person responsible for the next decision on the prototype record and revision points.

Who takes responsibility

Lead facilitator

Keep Redesign a Confusing Service Journey within its purpose and exclusions, and announce the start and end of each stage.

From before the start through the end

Recorder

Record the observation plan, current/improved experience storyboards, and prototype record and revision points at each stage, then hand them to the recipient at the end.

From preparing record surfaces before the start through storage after the end

Timekeeper

Notify the Lead facilitator 3 minutes before each stage ends and when switching to breaks or buffer time.

At the start of every stage and 3 minutes before its end

Participant support

Receive requests to pass, take a break, leave, or check individually, and decide with the Lead facilitator whether resumption is possible.

From before the start through the end

Session flow

Minutes are measured from the session start. Method time, transition time, breaks and buffer are shown separately; they are not additional overlapping activities.

  1. 0–33 minutes

    Decide the conditions for observing confusion

    Method: Observation Contract · 0–30 minutes. Transition: 30–33 minutes (3 minutes).

    Decide whether to observe entry, guidance, input, submission, or checking results. Do not record personal information; observe only confusion, questions, and backtracking.

    Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Participant support

    Output: Observation plan

    Handoff: Pass the observation scenes and users' purposes to the person responsible for storyboarding.

    This stage may be shortened only in accordance with the stated conditions.

  2. 33–96 minutes

    Draw current and improved experiences

    Method: Design Storyboards · 33–93 minutes. Transition: 93–96 minutes (3 minutes).

    Draw the service user's experience from arrival with a purpose through completion on a six-scene board made for this programme. This is a homemade adaptation of the referenced method for service experience, not a meeting-facilitation design sheet. In each scene, record User purpose, Current user actions and guidance, Improved user actions and guidance, Confusion and conditions that cannot be changed under the governing system, and Information to pass on. Compare the current and improved versions within the same frame.

    Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Participant support

    Output: Current/improved experience storyboards

    Handoff: Choose one scene to test from the six-scene comparison of current and improved experiences. Pass its user purpose, guidance to change, and information to pass on to the people acting out the prototype.

    This stage is not marked as shortenable.

  3. 106–169 minutes

    Act out and test an improved scene

    Method: Improv Prototyping · 106–166 minutes. Transition: 166–169 minutes (3 minutes).

    Staff and user role-players briefly act out an improved scene. Observers record what was understood and what caused confusion; change only one piece of guidance or one layout feature after each run.

    Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Participant support

    Output: Prototype record and revision points

    Handoff: Pass the prototype record to the service owner and the authority responsible for official forms.

    This stage is not marked as shortenable.

What is retained and who receives it

Observation plan

Owner: Recorder

Align the scenes, recording scope, consent, and anonymisation.

Current/improved experience storyboards

Owner: Recorder

Pair current and improved versions within each of the six scene frames. Compare the user's purpose, actions and guidance, confusion, governing constraints, and information to pass on.

Prototype record and revision points

Owner: Recorder

Test guidance text, handoffs, and users' responses on a small scale.

Materials and setup

Material names, quantities, groups and handling instructions retain the fixed draft's original helper-derived guidance. Where a format is marked “Source material specification”, the entire bound English source material entry takes precedence over the old helper-derived format guidance. This format-only correction does not resolve other instruction or safety concerns. English names are not substituted into a Japanese-keyed lookup.

Everyday tools

Action sticky notes

Quantity: 3 per person

Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces

Do not buy special-purpose materials. Write “Action” at the top of each paper piece. If participants will write on it, use one item per piece and handwrite the required headings before starting.

Writing implements

Quantity: 1 per person

Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers

Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.

Writing implements

Quantity: 1 per person

Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers

Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.

Sticky notes for observed effective actions

Quantity: 3 per participant

Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces

Do not buy special notes; write Observed effective actions at the top of paper pieces. If participants fill them in, put one entry on each note and handwrite the necessary headings before starting.

Broad-tip writing tools

Quantity: 1 per participant

Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers

Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.

Sheets to prepare by hand

Table for agreeing actions and observation methods

Quantity: 1 per group plus 1 for whole-group consolidation

Format: Source material specification: One A3 observation-contract sheet per group, plus one for whole-group integration

Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.

Divide the work surface into 7 fields: “Action to try”, “Facts to observe”, “Observer”, “How results are returned to the person”, “Record format”, “Observation deadline” and “Where results will be reviewed”. Do not rely on colour alone; write each field heading in words.

Example-record cards

Quantity: 1 per group

Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces

Before starting, write just one example close to the content used in this method. Show it as an example of how to write, not a correct answer for participants to copy.

Six-scene board comparing current and improved service-user experiences

Quantity: 1 sheet for the whole group

Format: Large paper or a whiteboard

Label this as a homemade adaptation sheet made for this programme, distinct from a meeting-facilitation design sheet or an official diagram. Create six frames from Scene 1 to Scene 6 from left to right. Divide each into five fields: User purpose, Current user actions and guidance, Improved user actions and guidance, Confusion and conditions that cannot be changed under the governing system, and Information to pass on. Put current and improved versions together in the same frame without adding a separate board. Write the field headings in words.

Scene cards

Quantity: 6 per person

Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces

Match each person's six cards to Scene 1 through Scene 6, one card per scene. Pair the current and improved versions on each card, then transfer the user's purpose, actions and guidance, and confusion to the board fields. Do not buy special-purpose cards; write headings in words.

Long, narrow handoff cards

Quantity: 6 for the whole group

Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces

Write Information to pass on at the top and match the six cards to Scene 1 through Scene 6, one per scene. Record the information the user or provider passes on in each scene and its recipient. Pass the card for the scene to be prototyped to the role-players.

Alternative cards

Quantity: 3 for the whole group

Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces

Write Alternative guidance or layout at the top of the three cards. Keep conditions that cannot be changed under the governing system and write one proposed change per card. Add the scene number and place each card by the corresponding frame.

Check sheet

Quantity: 1 sheet for the whole group

Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces

Write Prototype check at the top and create fields for Selected scene, User purpose, What was understood and what caused confusion, and Evidence at completion. Record facts observed in the prototype without treating the improvement as proven.

Homemade sheet for scene roles, location, and purpose

Quantity: 1 per group of 3–4

Format: Two A4 sheets placed side by side; join with masking tape if more space is needed

Create Scene roles, Location, and Purpose fields on one sheet. Write a heading for each field rather than relying on colour alone.

Setup for each method

Observation Contract

  1. One island table per group of no more than 5, with observers and people carrying out actions in separate seats
  2. At least 10 cm of right-hand margin on each group's contract-sheet work surface for adding a check date at the end of each row
  3. One wall for posting together rows using the same record format

Design Storyboards

  1. One shared editing surface for the board, with the 6 scenes arranged horizontally
  2. One tabletop area per person for individual drafting
  3. Space equal to one third of the board's width for swapping scene cards and handover cards

Improv Prototyping

  1. One space at the front where 3–4 performers can move
  2. Seating for observers: one observer seating area with 4–8 participants, or groups of 2–4 observers with 9 or more participants

When to switch or stop

Fallbacks

Three or more routes remain as observation targets.

Limit observation to one route with many enquiries.

Method guide: Observation Contract

Stop conditions

Actual people's application details or benefit outcomes are brought into the session.
Replace the example with an anonymous fictional case.
People try to change the governing system or statutory forms during the session.
Record it as an improvement proposal and refer it to the responsible authority for checking.

Sources, rights and limits

This site has composed this programme's purpose, connections between methods, facilitation, roles, outputs, and switching conditions. See each method's individual page for its sources and licence.

Original source records and their required notices are retained below. Their presence does not mean a new legal or cultural-safety clearance. Original citation titles are kept in their source language.

Sources and required notices for the 3 methods used

Observation Contract

  • 対話の譜面編集部: 観察の契約 — Original description and diagrams
  • Source: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team: Observation Contract | Original description and diagrams
  • Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | This site's text and diagrams
  • Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
  • Limits of this record: The editorial team independently created the text, procedure, and diagram. No exclusive rights are claimed over general dialogue operations or ideas themselves.

Design Storyboards

  • Source: Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026): Design Storyboards — Henri Lipmanowicz / Keith McCandless / Nancy White | https://www.liberatingstructures.com/design-storyboards | Adaptation under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes made
  • Source: CC BY-SA 4.0 | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
  • Attribution: Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless; Keith McCandless and Nancy White | Original-source author and contributor credit
  • Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | Japanese adaptation and this site's own diagrams
  • Changes and adaptation: Adapted as a Japanese facilitation score; changes made
  • ShareAlike: Provided under CC-BY-SA-4.0
  • Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
  • Limits of this record: Adapted with changes as a Japanese facilitation score under CC BY-SA 4.0 and provided under the same licence. Only the current page is covered; material from June 2026 or earlier, official icons, and third-party material were excluded.

Current-page credit and licence companion for this method

Improv Prototyping

  • Source: Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026) — Henri Lipmanowicz; Keith McCandless; Nancy White | https://www.liberatingstructures.com/improv-prototyping | Adaptation under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes made
  • Source: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ | CC-BY-SA-4.0
  • Attribution: Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless; Keith McCandless and Nancy White | Original-source author and contributor credit
  • Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | Japanese adaptation and this site's own diagrams
  • Changes and adaptation: Adapted as a Japanese facilitation score; changes made
  • ShareAlike: Provided under CC-BY-SA-4.0
  • Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
  • Limits of this record: Adapted with changes as a Japanese facilitation score under CC BY-SA 4.0 and provided under the same licence. Only the current page is covered; material from June 2026 or earlier, official icons, and third-party material were excluded.

Current-page credit and licence companion for this method

Confirmed programme clarification

The user confirmed the current programme text and programme-specific material instructions. Original methods, quantities, timing and print diagrams are unchanged. Earlier fixed notes are retained below as historical notes; they are not removed or treated as independently resolved. User confirmation of programme wording is distinct from independent acceptance of its English translation, rendered screens, rights and release checks.

Historical fixed-draft notes

The original fixed draft notes are retained without deletion as historical records of those fixed source versions. Current material format corrections are separately identified above; these notes do not imply that other concerns have been resolved.

  • The programme applies storyboarding to service journeys, while the prepared storyboard material explicitly describes a meeting flow. Both source descriptions remain; no new service-specific board structure has been substituted.

Japanese resources and historical source records

Original Japanese plan and its print view · Japanese operation pack or starter materials

An English print edition is not provided here. The linked plans, print views and operation materials are Japanese resources.

Historical recorded publication holds

The following original hold statements are retained verbatim with their fixed source versions. They are not a statement of current acceptance, nor does this historical label resolve a source-specific restriction.

  • English translation and rendered-page independent acceptance pending
  • Method dependency source/text SHA binding and current source-specific rights verification pending
  • Publication not cleared
Historical fixed-source and English-draft provenance

Japanese program SHA-256: e5c831353d6a4538c1db7958a968da6be44625c24a1d8b369348b0e59894a609

Fixed source context SHA-256: aec02e8c596ff7d816038f3c5559581f56d36ca398dc984e40081310f805b245

English draft SHA-256: 4c0655a31e7878b3be623090a3b3f83668676215fabc3290adfc02b5ef27142a

  • design-storyboards: source 376fdc30a04dde878a58a18a76a7feca572db2eb21854b6299a54c1a7e161d7e; English draft 56b33e83bcadb41bff7a22886407e8947ece7efc55bcf8c70db66e5739d6e017
  • improv-prototyping: source 9e28f96f071286f090baa93fe647f2e6933e49af6cbb7bfe5bf8f61e1d3ea3fe; English draft 8aad104178082f8add6bfa1ef6ce37d75913d0f7bede35b8e892fdb9c7528a88
  • observation-contract: source 70e5f59bb84942843d00c690048ab396fd5caa3fdca8dc9fa26b5fb4060166ad; English draft a700e2f5b974c571ba15dcb5c1156205d527285ea15ed08ccd71dd1ae74abaed

These hashes identify the checked inputs; they do not grant independent acceptance or publication clearance.