I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds Me Of
Small groups look closely at one thing outdoors (a tree, a patch of ground, a building) and say their observations out loud using three prompts: 'I notice...', 'I wonder...', 'It reminds me of...'. Others listen and build on what they hear. Short sketches or notes in a journal help people keep what they found.
Use as a warm-up for observation-based work, such as site visits or design research, or as a short outdoor reset that gets people curious again.
Solves: Teams jump from a quick look to a conclusion and never get to the questions that would change their thinking.
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Step 1: Introduce the three prompts and why speaking them aloud helps memory (3 min).
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Step 2: In pairs or threes, choose one thing to observe (2 min).
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Step 3: 'I notice': take turns saying everything you can see, hear, smell, feel (5-10 min).
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Step 4: 'I wonder': ask as many questions as you can, without answering them (5 min).
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Step 5: 'It reminds me of': make connections to other things, memories or your work (5 min).
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Step 6: Share the most interesting observation, question and connection with the whole group (5-10 min).
- Keep the prompts visible on a card so groups keep using them.
- Make the 'I wonder' round about quantity; questions without answers are fine.
- Choose a spot reachable for everyone and offer seating; close observation does not need a hike.
- Use the prompts on a user, a prototype or a workplace instead of nature.