Min Specs (the minimum rules)

Min Specs is a liberating structure by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless. It helps a group define the bare minimum of rules necessary to achieve a given objective. Participants start with a maximum list of dos and don'ts, then test each rule to keep only the essentials. The game facilitates a shift: less control, more clarity, and autonomy.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Frame the objective and the principle

   5 to 8 min

   The facilitator presents the intention: "We will identify the minimum rules that truly condition the success of our objective." They write the work objective visibly and check that it is understood by all. They specify that we will first produce too many rules, then severely reduce them. Participants can only ask clarification questions, not solutions.

   Tip — Phrase the objective as a concrete result to achieve, not as a general theme; otherwise, the rules produced will be vague and difficult to test.

2. 2

   Individually produce the maximum list

   5 to 7 min

   The facilitator asks: "Write down everything that absolutely must be done and everything that absolutely must not be done to achieve this objective. Do not filter, think broadly." Each participant works alone and writes one idea per line or note. They can include practices, prohibitions, conditions, behaviours, or safeguards. The goal is to open up widely before any discussion.

   Tip — Emphasise the word "absolutely" while allowing for excess: this tension produces good material for sorting.

3. 3

   Consolidate in small groups

   8 to 12 min

   The facilitator forms small groups and gives the instruction: "Share your lists, merge duplicates, and rephrase each rule to make it clear." Participants quickly discuss the meaning of the rules, without eliminating any yet. They create a common maximum list combining dos and don'ts. The facilitator circulates to help make the formulations observable.

   Tip — Ask groups to avoid abstract formulations like "communicate well"; have them specify what this concretely requires them to do or not do.

4. 4

   Test each rule by transgression

   10 to 15 min

   The facilitator introduces the central test: "For each rule, ask yourselves: if we broke it, could we still achieve our objective?" Groups go through the rules one by one. If the answer is yes, the rule is removed, even if it seems useful or desirable. If the answer is no, it remains a candidate for the minimum rules. The goal is to distinguish the essential from the merely preferable.

   Tip — When a group hesitates, have them imagine a real case where the rule is absent; if success remains plausible, the rule is probably not minimal.

5. 5

   Formulate the final Min Specs

   5 to 8 min

   Each group reviews the remaining rules and checks that they are indeed few, clear, and actionable. The facilitator asks: "Is this rule essential, understandable without explanation, and applicable by the concerned individuals?" Participants rephrase if necessary without adding new obligations. They prepare a short presentation focused on the retained rules and the reasons for their necessity.

   Tip — Watch for compound rules that hide multiple obligations; separate or simplify them before validating the final list.

6. 6

   Share and converge

   7 to 10 min

   Each group presents its minimum rules to the rest of the participants. The facilitator notes visible convergences and divergences. For each contested rule, they ask the test question again: "If we break it, can we still succeed?" The group is not looking for a perfect list, but a core of essentials robust enough to guide action with autonomy.

   Tip — Keep the pace: personal preference debates can arise quickly. Consistently bring it back to the transgression question, which is the arbiter of the game.

7. 7

   Anchor usage and close

   5 to 8 min

   The facilitator validates the final list or the produced lists, depending on the workshop's needs. They ask: "Where will these minimum rules be used, by whom, and when will they need to be reviewed?" Participants identify the first context of application. The closing reminds that Min Specs does not eliminate requirements: it removes over-prescription to allow for more autonomy.

   Tip — Finish with a very concrete usage decision; without an immediate application context, the list risks remaining a good intellectual exercise.

Variants

• For a large group, have several small groups work in parallel on the same objective, then compare only the remaining rules to save time.
• To explore two angles, ask some groups to start from the dos and others from the don'ts, then merge the essentials.
• For remote sessions, use a collaborative board: each person writes their rules silently, groups merge in separate areas, then visibly strike out the rules removed by the transgression test.
• For a sensitive objective, allow for an initial anonymous production of rules to bring out implicit prohibitions or rarely discussed obligations.