What, So What, Now What (W3) invites every voice on a team to be heard and collectively make sense of new information and, ultimately, take coordinated action. Use this any time during a project when you need to identify clear next steps.
LIVE ACTIVITY
Review the stimulus
As a team, review the information or ideas that your team needs to take action on.
Highlight the most important facts ("What?")
On the W3 Template, invite everyone to silently write down their thoughts on what facts and observations stand out.
Write down the implications ("So what?")
Then, after all the salient observations have been collected, ask, "SO WHAT? Why is that important? What patterns or conclusions are emerging? What hypotheses can you make?” Debrief as a team and capture on the W3 Template.
Brainstorm actions ("Now what?")
Then, after you've determined what's important and why, ask, “NOW WHAT? What actions should you take?" Invite the team to capture suggested actions on the W3 Template. Build consensus on actions.
Determine next steps
Identifying the who, how, and when of the 'next steps'.