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Fictional example

Willow Lane Primary

Amara, Grace, Tomasz, Dev and Ruth

Published 14 October 2026
Release 2026-10-14.1

The goal

Every child at Willow Lane Primary can walk, scoot or cycle to school safely.

Accepted for now Accepted for now by Amara, Grace, Tomasz, Dev and Ruth

Inspect the goal →

At a glance

46 statements
36 connections

1 The goal6 · 52 In the way9 · 73 Pulling apart5 · 54 The change9 · 65 First steps9 · 86 Actions8 · 5

Five people with different stakes, a parent, the head teacher, the bakery owner, a council highways officer and a neighbour on the next street, work out how to make the walk to school safe without costing the shops their trade. They agreed a change, tried it, and the first reports are in.

1 · The goal

What it depends on

Four conditions are accepted as necessary for the goal. Tomasz added the fourth: the shops keep the customers they rely on.

GOALEvery child at Willow Lane Primary canwalk, scoot or cycle to school safely.SUCCESS FACTORTraffic outside the school gateis slow and light at drop-off andpick-up.SUCCESS FACTORThe routes children use feelsafe enough that parents letthem walk.SUCCESS FACTORFamilies who live too far towalk can still finish the journeyon foot.SUCCESS FACTORThe shops on Willow Lane keepthe customers they rely on.CONDITIONPROPOSEDChildren can cross Mill Roadwith a crossing patrol at bothschool times.
The goal and its conditions →

2 · In the way

What stands in the way

Read from the bottom up. Parents driving to work, with nowhere to stop, together contribute to the queue at the gate. Tomasz's claim that most cars are only passing through is disputed.

andPROBLEMCars queue and double-parkoutside the gate at drop-off.PROBLEMChildren step out betweenparked cars where driverscannot see them.PROBLEMFewer children walk to schoolthan five years ago.PROBLEMMorning customers give up onTomasz's bakery when thestreet is jammed.CAUSEMany parents drop theirchildren off by car on the way towork.CAUSEThere is nowhere near the gatefor drivers to stop briefly.CAUSEParents feel the walk is unsafe,so more of them drive.CAUSEDISPUTEDMost cars at 8:30 are drivingthrough, not dropping childrenoff.CAUSEPROPOSEDThe pavement outside thebakery is too narrow for twobuggies to pass.
All 9 statements about what stands in the way →

3 and 4 · Pulling apart, and the change

Where needs pulled two ways, and what they chose

Both needs serve the shared objective, but the positions taken to meet them clash. The change they chose breaks the assumption under that clash: close the street only at school times, with deliveries exempt.

disputedSHARED OBJECTIVEWillow Lane works for thechildren walking to school andfor the shops.NEEDChildren are safe at the gate atdrop-off and pick-up.NEEDThe bakery and the other shopskeep their morning trade.POSITIONClose Willow Lane to cars atschool times.POSITIONKeep Willow Lane open to carsall day.
The conflict →

The change chosen

What they decided to do about it.

The change and its effects →
ChangeAccepted for nowWillow Lane closes to through traffic from 8:20 to 9:00 and from 2:50 to 3:30 on school days, with deliveries, residents and blue badge holders exempt.Accepted for now by Amara, Grace, Dev, Tomasz and RuthChangeAccepted for nowFamilies who drive can park at the leisure centre and walk the last five minutes.Accepted for now by Amara, Grace and Dev

Learning

What happened when they tried it

Grace and Tomasz report far fewer cars at the gate, and Ruth reports queues on Mill Lane. Whether more children walk is still unclear, and Amara hasn't reported yet.

Expected outcomes and what each person reported
What was expectedGraceRuthTomaszAmara
Expected benefitFar fewer cars stop outside the gate at school times.ObservedNot assessedObservedAwaiting report
Expected benefitMore children walk, scoot or cycle to school.UnclearNot assessedNot assessedAwaiting report
Possible harmSome traffic moves onto Mill Lane while Willow Lane is closed.Not assessedObservedNot observedAwaiting report
Every report, in full →

Unfinished

Open questions

7 published items still have questions to work through.

Explain or connect 3

Agree with families how far is too far to walk.Grace suggests half a mile. Families on the estate beyond the ring road live about a mile and a half away.Success factorAccepted for nowFamilies who live too far to walk can still finish the journey on foot.What are we trying to achieve?Check whether more driving makes the walk feel even less safe.CauseAccepted for nowParents feel the walk is unsafe, so more of them drive.What stands in the way?

1 more

Check an assumption 1

Count how the bakery's customers arrive before nine.Tomasz assumes most come by car. Amara's week outside the shop suggests most walk.ConnectionDisputed“Keep Willow Lane open to cars all day.” is needed for “The bakery and the other shops keep their morning trade.”Where do needs pull two ways?

Examine a challenge 1

Repeat the traffic count to settle how many cars are passing through.Tomasz and Dev disagree. Dev's June count found two in three cars stopping near the gate were drop-offs.CauseDisputedMost cars at 8:30 are driving through, not dropping children off.What stands in the way?

Find out what happens 2

Try the hatch for a month and see who stops.ChangeProposedTomasz opens a walk-up hatch selling coffee to parents on foot.What will we change?Decide whether Mill Lane needs a 20 mph limit during the trial.Ruth reported queues at the Mill Lane junction in the first week of the trial.Possible harmProposedSome traffic moves onto Mill Lane while Willow Lane is closed.What will we change?
All open questions →

6 · Actions

What they plan to do

Four actions, each with the effect it should have. The order comes first: Grace writes to families once it is drafted.

ActionAccepted for nowDev drafts the experimental traffic order, with permits for residents, and opens the consultation.Accepted for now by DevActionAccepted for nowGrace writes to every family explaining the closure and the park-and-stride spot.Accepted for now by GraceActionAccepted for nowAmara recruits marshals at the PTA meeting and sets up the rota.Accepted for now by AmaraActionAccepted for nowDev counts traffic on Mill Lane for a week before the trial and a week into it.Accepted for now by Dev and Ruth
Actions and what they should achieve →

People

Who contributed, and who accepted

Contributing an idea and accepting it are recorded separately.

WhoContributed
statements · connections		Accepted for now
statements · connections
AmaraParent and PTA volunteer14 · 927 · 21
GraceHead teacher9 · 625 · 18
TomaszRuns the bakery on Willow Lane9 · 611 · 6
1 earlier, now disputed
DevHighways officer at the council8 · 320 · 11
RuthLives on Mill Lane5 · 413 · 7
AI assistantSuggestions from the AI; it cannot accept anything2 · 8—
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