What? So What? Now What? examples
What? So What? Now What? reports or reflects on a situation: what happened or is true, why it matters and to whom, and what happens next, from the speaker or the listener.
These are fictional teaching examples, not accounts of real events.
Example 1
What do people need to know about the new expenses system?
From the first of next month, all expenses go through the new app instead of paper forms.
That matters most for anyone who travels or buys supplies for the team, because paper claims will not be accepted after that date. There is good news too: the app pays out in about a week rather than a month, so nobody will wait long to get their money back.
Please install the app before your next trip or purchase, and bring any questions to Thursday’s drop-in session. I will send a two-minute guide tomorrow, and the finance team can help anyone who gets stuck.
How the answer works
- What
- Say what happened or what is true: a problem, a success, a fact or a change.
- So what
- Explain why it matters and to whom, without claiming more than you know.
- Now what
- Say what happens next: your own step or a request to your listeners.
Why it works: The What is an announcement, not a problem. The So what says who is affected and how, for better and worse, and the Now what asks listeners to act.
Example 2
What should we take from the empty welcome desk?
At yesterday’s club night, three visitors arrived after the welcome volunteer had left. They found the room eventually, but none of them knew where to sign in or whether they could join the activity already under way.
Our welcome depends on arriving at exactly the right time, so late visitors can miss the information they need. That is not a problem with the visitors; it is a gap in the way we greet people.
For the next event, let’s leave a short welcome sheet and name a second contact. We can ask someone arriving late to try the new sheet and tell us whether it actually works.
How the answer works
- What
- Say what happened or what is true: a problem, a success, a fact or a change.
- So what
- Explain why it matters and to whom, without claiming more than you know.
- Now what
- Say what happens next: your own step or a request to your listeners.
Why it works: The observation is specific, the meaning concerns a gap in the welcome, and the next step addresses that gap.
Example 3
How is the paired reading scheme going?
Since we started paired reading in September, forty of the fifty children in Year 4 have moved up at least one reading level.
That is about twice the usual pace, and the children who were furthest behind gained the most, so the scheme is reaching the pupils it was meant for. Some pairs also read together at home, so we cannot yet say how much of the gain comes from the sessions in school.
Next term we plan to extend the scheme to Year 3 and keep a simple record of reading at home, so we can see what is making the difference.
How the answer works
- What
- Say what happened or what is true: a problem, a success, a fact or a change.
- So what
- Explain why it matters and to whom, without claiming more than you know.
- Now what
- Say what happens next: your own step or a request to your listeners.
Why it works: Good news gets a So what too: who gains and why it matters. The answer admits what it cannot yet show and plans a next step that will find out.
What makes the difference?
The same kind of answer can sound complete while leaving an important part unclear.
What should the team know about the new visitor policy?
Not quite
There is a new visitor policy. Please read it.
It gives the What and a request but never says what changes or who it affects. Without the So what, nobody knows why the policy matters to them or what to do differently.
Make it clearer
From Monday, every visitor must be signed in at reception, not at your desk.
Anyone expecting a client will need to meet them downstairs, which adds a few minutes to each visit.
Please tell reception about visitors the day before, and allow time to collect them.