What, So What, Now What

Gets straight to the point with the info, tells you why it's a big deal, and then spells out exactly what to do next.

How to implement

What:

Clearly and concisely describe the information, data, or situation you are presenting.

So What?:

Explain the implications or significance of the “What.”

Now What?:

Outline the actionable next steps or recommendations based on the “So What.”

Example

Imagine you’re presenting the results of the latest customer satisfaction survey to your marketing team.

You start with the What:

“Our survey shows that 75% of customers are happy with our product quality, but only 50% are satisfied with our customer support responsiveness.”

Then you move to the So What:

“This tells us that while our product is strong, we’re likely losing customers or damaging our reputation due to slow support. This gap in satisfaction could be impacting our customer retention rates and overall brand perception.”

Finally, you get to the Now What:

“Moving forward, I propose we invest in additional training for our support team and implement a new ticketing system to improve response times. Let’s schedule a follow-up meeting to brainstorm specific training modules and review potential ticketing system options.”