Whenever you finish a project, either on your own or with a team, a sense of accomplishment comes with it. But before you put it all behind you, it is important to contemplate the task using the What? So What? Now What? reflection model, as this would add meaning to the experience and turn it into a tool for improving your future undertakings.
What is What? So What? Now What? framework?
The What? So What? Now What? framework is a model for reflecting on your just-finished tasks and figuring out what can be improved, making the team better equipped to take on future projects.
The framework revolves around three key questions that encourage deep thought – What? So What? And Now What?
Team members state the problem as they see it to answer the question. What are the implications of the identified problem or problems? And finally, what gets people to think of what can be done or what solutions can be implemented to solve the problem?
Benefits of using a What? So What? Now What? template
Using a What? So What? Now What? template with the entire team helps each member get a comprehensive picture of the work that has been completed, and not just the part that they worked on. It fosters an appreciation for all the tasks that not everyone might have been aware of while busy doing their own tasks.
A What? So What? Now What? template also provides a safe and neutral environment where positive and negative criticisms can be given and received, which is very important as responding objectively to this feedback will benefit the entire team.
When to use the What? So What? Now What? template?
The What? So What? Now What? template is now very popularly used by teams to encourage reflection from individual members. If you want to enlighten each team member on the perspectives of other people in the group, this is an excellent tool to use. It is also used if you want to ultimately create a more cohesive and collaborative team.
The great thing about the What? So What? Now What? template is that it is very simple and extremely versatile, which means it applies to a whole range of situations and not only within the confines of work. It can be used for personal reflection, encouraging a good attitude with children, evaluating relationships, and so on.
How to use the What? So What? Now What? template in Boardmix?
It is not hard to find a What? So What? Now What? template that you can download online, but few are as well-designed as the one we have at Boardmix, which you can get by clicking it in the post.
Before you start using this What? So What? Now What? template, it is ideal to gather all the team members so that everyone can participate in the process. It doesn’t have to be a face-to-face session, which can be difficult to arrange due to differences in schedule and geography. Besides, the Boardmix template can easily be accessed online, allowing the team to brainstorm efficiently even if they are apart.
Once everyone has dropped their responses into the boxes of the What? So What? Now What? template, the team can then have a thorough discussion and ultimately be able to determine what to do or what not to do in the future to avoid problems encountered in the finished project and achieve a much better overall result.
