In this talk, Rod Sherwin explores how to conduct “rigorous experiments” in both personal and organisational contexts, drawing on Rod’s background in computer science, business analysis, team leadership, and health and wellbeing. Emphasising a flexible, inquisitive “experimental mindset,” the speaker outlines key principles for designing effective experiments using Solution Focus (SF) methods.
Firstly, one must establish a clear hypothesis—anything from “If I do this, I hope this will happen” to more formal statements at the organisational level. Next, one identifies potential benefits, broadly defining expected positive outcomes. Determining the experiment’s duration—how long it should run before evaluation—ensures fairness in assessing any meaningful impact, rather than dismissing the results prematurely.
Rod distinguishes between leading indicators (early signals of progress) and lagging indicators (final measures of success). In organisations, these can range from objective metrics (e.g. budget figures, performance data) to more subjective measures (motivation, satisfaction). Further, amplifiers (enhancing helpful behaviours) and dampeners (reducing unwanted effects) highlight how best to encourage what works while minimising pitfalls.
Throughout the discussion, participants underscored the importance of ensuring teams or individuals have the capacity for change, noting that overburdened employees or overlapping initiatives may undermine any experiment. By using SF questions—such as scaling confidence or willingness—leaders can gauge a group’s readiness and adapt accordingly. Smaller, incremental steps (“nudges”) often prove more manageable and less risky than sweeping organisational overhauls.
The conversation also addresses whether additional elements, such as design content, should be considered. Rod explains that while these principles shape the boundaries, the specific content of each experiment depends heavily on context. SF techniques like “behave as if” or “future perfect” can further guide experimentation, prompting small, observable changes while remaining open to unexpected outcomes.
Ultimately, Rod emphasises that these principles are not rigid rules but rather a “shape” or framework allowing organisations to adapt experiments to their particular situation. The session concludes with plans to share annotated slides, including questions gathered from participants for more comprehensive exploration, ensuring that the insights gleaned during the presentation can be effectively applied in a range of real-world contexts. See
Rod Sherwin is an Executive Coach, Mentor, Counsellor, Kinesiologist, and EFT Tapping Practitioner with an IT and organisational change management background. Quite a mix! For over twenty years, Rod has applied solution-focused practice across all these areas with an experimental mindset, helping to create respectful, lasting change with individuals, teams, leaders and students.
