# Feedforward vs Feedback - Design Moves The work is retraining a system that's built feedback loops as evaluation-defense spirals. Feedforward is gentler, and it actually generates change. ## The pivot question Once you've named what you observed, ask: "What would you try differently next time?" This is the feedforward move. Don't elaborate. Don't suggest. Let them author it. The act of generating the idea is what creates commitment. ## Sequence feedback + feedforward, not either/or 1. Name the signal: "I noticed you went quiet in that meeting." 2. Check their read: "What did you notice?" 3. Offer observation if needed: "My sense was the decision was made before that conversation happened." 4. Pivot: "What would you try next time?" 5. Close with them owning it: "How would you know if that worked?" This honors both honesty and agency. You're not pretending the thing didn't happen. You're just not letting the past be the end of the conversation. ## Use it in retroaction In retros or after-action reviews, the default is often "what went wrong?" which generates excuses and defense. Start with feedforward: "What would you try differently?" Action items emerge faster, and they're owned rather than assigned. ## Deploy it in conflict When two people are stuck in "this was your fault / no it was yours" loops, feedforward breaks the pattern: "Okay, that's both true. What would each of you try next?" Each person now has agency rather than blame. The conversation can move. ## Avoid the sandwich trap Don't layer feedforward as a softening mechanism for harder feedback: "You did great with X, but Y was wrong, and you've got potential." That's false. It teaches people to wait for the buried bad news. Instead: signal, check, feedforward, done. ## When direct feedback can't be sidesteps Sometimes the issue is about values, ethics, or real consequences. Not every conversation should be feedforward. But the principle still applies: after you've named the real issue, return agency to them. "This matters because... What will you do?" The conversation is then about what they choose next, not about defending the past. ## See Also - [[Feedforward vs Feedback]] — the parent lens; this note is the interventions layer - [[07_Tools/Adult-Adult Feedback Conversation (20 min)]] — the practice structure that operationalizes this sequence - [[Short, Early Conversations]] — feedforward is easiest early; this lens handles timing - [[Learning Without Blame]] — feedforward builds accountability through agency, not through shame