Known

Knowns

Known

Unknowns

Unknown

Knowns

Unknown

Unknowns

What are you going to tell people about this conference?

Make a couple of notes, if you like

This is not about…

• Not swearing

• Speaking or writing more clearly

• “Clean” programming language

• NLP “clean language” (related, but not the same)

What’s “Clean Language”?

• A precision inquiry technique

• Designed for exploring the metaphors which underpin people’s thinking and which drive their behaviour

• Created by David Grove 1950-2008

• Open source

• Ripe for exaptation

For you, this conference was like… what?

There’s no right or wrong answer –whatever comes to mind is fine

Quick Clean Language

Ask only at the start:

• For you, this conference was like… what?

Then ask in any order, as many times as you like:

• What kind of X?

• Is there anything else about X?

“X” represents one or more of their words

What did you notice when you were being asked the questions?

Clean Language Elements

• Paying attention – listening, noticing

• Directing attention – questioning

• Appreciating uniqueness – modelling

• Can work with metaphor, or not

Metaphor…

• Describes one thing in terms of another

• Specifically, describes the abstract in terms of the familiar

– “Love is like a bottle of gin, but a bottle of gin is not like love”

• Condenses information

• Involves both sides of the brain – plus the heart and gut brains

How could you use this?

• Discuss specific ideas

• Practice asking Clean Language questions about ordinary stuff

Ask in any order, as many times as you like:

• What kind of X?

• Is there anything else about X?

Clean Language Results

• At Liverpool John Moore’s University:

– one tutor group of 9 people all got Firsts

– proportion of Firsts or 2.1 went from 49% to 75%

• Amphora

• Agile coaches across Europe

And when, for you, this conference was like that, what would you like to

have happen next?

• What kind of X?

• Is there anything else about X?

Where To Learn More

• Go to judyrees.co.uk for a free ebook

• Join Olaf Lewitz and me on a two-day workshop http://bit.ly/2neatIQ

What difference does knowing all of this make?

What will you tell people about this conference now?

judyrees.co.uk @judyrees