Developed by Donald A. Schön (The Reflective Practitioner, 1983).
Builds a practitioner's judgment through two habits, reviewing cases after the fact and noticing during the work, which grows a repertoire of cases to draw on.
When to reach for it
When work rarely fits the textbook case, as in consulting, design, teaching, or management, and lessons from experience are not sticking.
How it runs
- After significant events, write through what happened and why.
- Add each case to a personal collection of cases.
- During work, pause briefly to ask whether the move is working.
- When stuck, recall a similar past case and its move.
- Treat surprises as material for later reflection.
- Narrate cases aloud to people learning the craft.
Where it sits in SOLVE eX
Go to the source
- The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action, 1983