wiki_ghostguild/content/curriculum/PS Guides/3-actionable-values-impact.md

3: Actionable Values and Impact

Pre-session

If you are the presenting PS for this session, prepare a 10-minute case study from your studio covering:

• How you arrived at your current values (what process did you use? what changed through iteration?)
• One example of values guiding a real decision — especially a hard one
• Where you've seen a gap between stated values and actual practice, and what you did about it

Show the messy stuff. Participants need to see that this work is ongoing, not a one-time exercise.

What happens in session

Studios move from identifying values to making them operational. The session introduces two tools: the Why/What/How framework (turning values into concrete practices) and Layers of Effect (mapping ripple effects of decisions). A Peer Support presenter shares a case study from their own studio. Studios work through scenarios using values-first thinking and identify a decision to run through the tools with their PS this week.

:::info If you are the presenting PS for this session, you need to prepare a 10-minute case study from your studio covering: how you arrived at your current values, one example of values guiding a real decision (especially a hard one), and where you've seen a gap between stated values and actual practice. Show the messy stuff — participants need to see that this work is ongoing.

:::

👀 Your role during session

• If presenting: deliver your case study. Be honest about what didn't work and what you're still figuring out.
• Observe your studio during the scenario exercise — who applies values first vs. jumping to solutions?
• Note whether studios can connect their Session 1 values to the tools, or if values are still too vague to be actionable.

👆 Your role after session

• Confirm everyone understood the Why/What/How framework and the Layers of Effect template
• Make sure the Miro templates (Why/What/How and Layers of Effect) are on your studio's board
• Note which decision they chose for the homework activity

This week's Studio Support Meeting: Why/What/How + Layers of Effect

📚 Materials

• Studio Miro board with Why/What/How template
• Studio Miro board with Layers of Effect template
• The studio's values map from Session 1

👆 Before the session

• Confirm the Miro templates are set up and accessible
• Review the studio's values map — pick 1-2 values that seem ripe for the Why/What/How exercise (have a suggestion ready in case the team gets stuck)
• Know which decision they identified at the end of Session 3 for the Layers of Effect exercise

🌊 Session flow

Check-in (5 min)

"How did the scenario exercise land for you? Was it easy or hard to start with values before jumping to solutions?"

Let each person respond briefly. Listen for whether they found the tools useful or abstract.

Why/What/How deep dive (20-25 min)

Pick one value from the studio's values map together and work through the full framework.

Step 1: WHY (5-7 min)

"Why does this value matter to your studio? What's at stake if you don't practice it?"

Prompts if they get stuck:

• "What would go wrong if you dropped this value tomorrow?"
• "Who is affected if this value isn't practiced?"

Step 2: WHAT (5-7 min)

"What does practicing this value actually look like? What are you committing to?"

Push for specificity:

• "If a new member joined next month, how would they know you practice this value?"
• "'We value transparency' — what does that mean concretely? Open finances? Open conversations? Open documents?"

Step 3: HOW (5-7 min)

"How will you actually do this? What specific activities, rituals, or outputs?"

This is where it gets real:

• "How often? Who's responsible? Where does it live?"
• "What's the minimum viable version you could start this week?"

Capture everything on the Miro board.

Layers of Effect practice (15-20 min)

Use the decision they identified in Session 3. Walk through the three rings together.

:::tip Parallel framework for context: Neil Postman's "Seven Questions for any new technology" maps closely to Layers of Effect. If a studio is struggling with the concentric rings framing, try Postman's questions as an alternate way in: (1) What problem does this solve? (2) Whose problem is it? (3) What new problems does solving it create? (4) Who is most impacted? (5) What changes in language? (6) What shifts in power? (7) What unintended uses might emerge? :::

Primary effects (5 min): "What are the direct, immediate impacts of this decision?"

• Who gains? Who pays? Who's invisible but affected?

Secondary effects (5 min): "What are the known but less obvious impacts?"

• What dependencies or new risks are you introducing?

Tertiary effects (5 min): "What unforeseen consequences might emerge over time?"

• What standards could this establish? What shifts over years?

Use yellow stickies for opportunities/benefits and red for risks/costs. These might be connected — a benefit in one layer can create a risk in another.

Debrief (5 min):

• "Did mapping this change how you think about the decision?"
• "Did your values hold up, or did you notice a gap between intention and effect?"

Close and next steps (5 min)

• "How often should you revisit your values and check whether your effects match your intentions?"
• Encourage them to make this a recurring practice, not a one-time exercise

⭐ Tips

If the Why/What/How stays vague:

• "Can you make that even more specific? What would someone actually see you doing?"

If they rush through Layers of Effect:

• "Slow down at tertiary. The unforeseen stuff is where the most important learning happens."

If they only see positive effects:

• "Every decision has costs. Who bears them? Who's invisible here?"

If one person dominates the values conversation:

• "Let's hear from everyone — whose experience of this value is different?"

🏁 After the session

• Note whether the studio can translate values into practices or if they're still stuck at the abstract level
• Note any gaps between stated values and emerging practices — these will come up again
• Remind them to discuss as a studio: how often should you revisit values and check your effects?

🚩 Red flags to watch for

• Values that are all "why" with no "what" or "how" — inspiration without practice
• A studio that can't see any negative effects of their decisions — lack of critical thinking or avoidance
• One person defining "our" values without challenge from the group
• Tools treated as a box-checking exercise rather than genuine reflection
• "We already know our values" without being able to articulate practices