Intervention Design Card
From finding to action. One card per measure.
Rule of thumb: If only one set is checked, question the intervention again. Pure tool-fixes without skill and mind usually fizzle within weeks.
Intervention
Set components
Check at least two sets — a single-set intervention is usually too weak.
☐ Tool-Fix — What do we change in the tooling?
Tool, process, structure, standard, interface, metric, ownership.
☐ Skill-Build — What do we learn / who learns with whom?
Pairing, mentoring, learning paths, dojos, reviews, facilitation, cross-skilling.
☐ Mind-Shift — Which attitude should change?
Safety, working agreement, error culture, decision rights, purpose, incentives.
Size
- ☐ Small — 1–2 weeks
- ☐ Medium — 3–6 weeks
- ☐ Large — Caution, slice smaller
Impact & ownership
| Field | Answer |
|---|---|
| First visible signal within | days |
| How do we measure the signal? | |
| Owner | |
| Review date |
Three intervention types — when each fits
Tool-Fix
When tools, processes, structures, standards, or interfaces limit impact. Examples: declutter a tool, simplify a process, improve automation, surface metrics, clarify ownership, decommission a tool, tighten a standard.
Skill-Build
When abilities, experience, methodological knowledge, or social competence limit impact. Examples: pairing, mentoring, learning paths, dojos, better reviews, facilitation skills, knowledge distribution, cross-skilling.
Mind-Shift
When attitude, fear, culture, assumptions, or incentives limit impact. Examples: strengthen psychological safety, renew working agreement, treat mistakes as learning signals, clarify decision rights, protect experiments, change leadership behavior, make purpose and outcome visible.
Example — Introducing a new review board
- Tool-Set: Board and review structure.
- Skill-Set: Review and feedback skills.
- Mind-Set: Learning instead of control.
If only the tool is introduced, impact stays low. Only the coupling of sets makes the intervention strong.
Source: The 3-Sets Method — Diagnostic Methods. More at 3sets.org/en.