explore · Reflection, Communication · 10–30 min · 1-40 people · low energy

See, Think, Wonder

People look at an image or object and answer three questions in order: What do you see? What do you think about that? What does it make you wonder? Separating plain observation from interpretation and from open questions slows the group down and shows how much reasoning sits behind a quick reaction.

When to use See, Think, Wonder

Use on a gallery visit, a site walk, or with any artefact at an offsite, when you want people to notice more before they form a view.

What it solves

Groups argue about meaning before they have agreed on what is actually in front of them.

How to run See, Think, Wonder, step by step

  1. Present the image, object or scene and give everyone time to look in silence (2 min).
  2. Ask 'What do you see?' Collect plain observations only, no interpretation yet (5 min).
  3. Ask 'What do you think about that?' and ask people to name the detail that makes them think it (5-10 min).
  4. Ask 'What does it make you wonder?' and collect the questions (5 min).
  5. Pick one or two wonder questions to take into the next session (3 min).

Materials needed

  • An image, object, artwork or site to look at
  • Flipchart or sticky notes in three columns

Facilitator tips

  • Let people write individually first, then share. It stops the loudest reading from becoming everyone's.
  • Ask 'What do you see that makes you say that?' whenever an interpretation shows up in the see round.

Common pitfalls

  • The see round fills with interpretations because the facilitator does not hold the line.
  • The wonder questions are collected and then forgotten.

Variations

  • Use a photo of your own workplace or product and run the same three questions.

Running it online or hybrid

Post the image and use three columns on a shared board for see, think and wonder.

What it produces

Three lists: observations, interpretations with their evidence, and open questions worth following up.

Origin

A thinking routine from Project Zero's Visible Thinking research at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. — source

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METODIC places See, Think, Wonder inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.

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