Nine Whys
Nine Whys is a method for uncovering the fundamental purpose behind a task or challenge by repeatedly asking 'Why is that important to you?' It helps individuals and groups clarify their motivations and align on a shared, meaningful objective.
Use this method when you need to establish a clear and compelling purpose for a project, initiative, or meeting. It's particularly useful at the beginning of a collaboration to ensure everyone understands and is motivated by the underlying goals.
Solves: Lack of shared understanding of goals, superficial engagement, difficulty prioritizing tasks.
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Step 1: Individual Reflection (2 min) - Ask participants to individually consider the subject matter or challenge at hand and list a few related activities.
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Step 2: Paired Interviews (10 min) - Divide participants into pairs. One person interviews the other, starting with 'What do you do when working on [subject]?' and repeatedly asking 'Why is that important to you?' up to nine times. Switch roles after 5 minutes.
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Step 3: Small Group Sharing (5 min) - Pairs join another pair to form groups of four. Each pair shares their experience and key insights.
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Step 4: Whole Group Reflection (3 min) - Facilitate a whole group reflection by asking, 'How do our purposes influence the next steps we take?'
- Encourage participants to dig deep and be honest in their responses.
- Vary the phrasing of 'Why?' to prompt deeper reflection (e.g., 'What's the impact of that?', 'Why does that matter to you personally?')
- Create a safe space for sharing personal stories and insights.
- Combine with Appreciative Interview: Start with a positive story, then explore the 'whys' behind its success.
- After the Nine Whys, ask 'How?' questions to generate actionable steps.