Chunking · Pattern 4 of 13
Chunk Down — Specifics
Move down a level toward detail, distinction and concrete information.
Recover: Concrete, actionable specifics
What it is
MANUAL MODEL. The core downward move, and the doorway to the Meta Model. Any appropriate Meta Model question does this work; the hierarchy skill is knowing that DOWN is the direction you need, and how far down to keep going before the answer is usable.
Recognition / tip-offs
What has been distorted, generalised or deleted
- Information has been left out
- The detail exists and is retrievable
- Specificity is what makes action possible
Client-language use
“I need better communication.” Nobody can do 'better communication'. Down is the only useful direction here.
How to challenge it
Ask for the specific, then test the answer against action: could somebody do that today?
- “What specifically?”
- “How specifically?”
- “What would the first concrete piece of that be?”
Practitioner judgement: challenge what is useful, not every pattern you can hear.
What to recover
Use it for planning, for action, for overwhelm, and any time agreement feels suspiciously easy.
Client autonomy first — offer language the client can verify and decline.
Examples
““We need better communication.” → “What specifically would you like to happen that isn't happening?””
Missing A nominalization opened back into a process.
See the Meta Model module for the full thirteen precision patterns.
Common confusion and overlap
- Chunking down before rapport exists
- Descending so far the purpose disappears — see Nit-Picking
- Asking a generic 'why', which invites reasons instead of specifics
Practice this pattern
Hear it
0%
Unpack it
0%
Question it
0%
Build it
0%
Use it live
0%