Working with Moves
How to shape a small number of Moves that directly address a specific Constraint.
A Move is what you decide to act on now. It is not just a task. It is a belief about what could change a Constraint and why.
Start the session
Use the Decide what matters now button in the launcher. AJ will orient you to the accepted facts first: the Goal, the focus Constraints, active or blocked Moves, and any missing owners or due dates.
From there, AJ helps you decide where attention should go next.
Write a Move as a belief
A Move should be written in this shape: we believe doing X could change Y because Z.
That matters because it keeps the reasoning visible. You are not pretending the action is proven. You are making the belief explicit so the team can test it.
The short title should name the action itself. The fuller belief belongs in the description.
See The model for how a Move connects back to a Constraint.
Every Move must address one Constraint
A Move is only useful if it is aimed at a specific Constraint. In Clearahead, each Move ADDRESSES exactly one Constraint.
If the link is vague, AJ will push you to make it explicit. The question is not whether the Move sounds sensible in general. The question is which Constraint you believe it could shift.
Give each Move an owner
Every Move needs an owner. Not a loose sense that “someone” is covering it, but one named person who can genuinely give it time.
AJ will usually press on this point. The useful question is who can really change the Constraint, not who is nominally responsible for the area.
Add a due date once the Move is active
Once a Move is active, give it a due date. That keeps the work real and makes it easier to spot what is stalled.
The Details panel and Model summary make missing owners and due dates obvious, so it is worth being disciplined about both.
Keep active Moves few
Do not spread attention across a long list. Clearahead works best when active Moves stay few and concentrated.
A good rule is one to three active Moves per focus Constraint. More than that usually means the team is hedging rather than committing real time.
If you have more ideas than that, keep them proposed or let them wait until there is space.
Ask AJ
“Help me turn this idea into a proper Move.”
“Which Constraint does this Move actually address?”
“Do we have too many active Moves against this Constraint?”
“Help me give this Move a clearer owner and due date.”
Read next: Updating the model
Related: Working with Constraints · Updates and evidence