Foundational Instructions to write Value Codes (with Images)

Here we’ll briefly describe how to write a Value Code.

This is a deliberately simple overview to help you get started, there’s more detail in our Beginners Guide to Writing Value Codes and our glossary of Value Code terminology.

We also have Value Code Templates / Examples available to download.

Step 1: Understand the anatomy of a Value Code and why they’re structured the way they are

A Value Code consists of:

  • short Identifier
  • a more in-depth description
  • (optional) help text
  • five progressive Evaluation Level Labels
  • five Evaluation Statements for each level

The five Evaluation Statements range from an assertive description of what ‘barely acceptable’ looks like, through to an assertive description of ‘what good looks like’, with three more descriptions of progressively more constructive stages in between.

They are typically presented to people at the point of evaluation in the following format:

After evaluation, the distinct evaluation level colour scheme is used to present summary and analytical reports back to respondents and team leaders.

Each of the Value Code’s five levels for its evaluation statements has a designated colour. The 5 colour levels are: red, amber, yellow, lime, green.

Those same colours are used in summary and analytical reporting, in various bar charts, pie charts and heatmaps.

Below you can see how the colour associated with a particular evaluation statement selected by a respondent forms part of their individual response report, and also how that contributes to reports that summarise responses from large numbers of people.

You can hopefully start to see how the structure of a Value Code is a generative constraint that enables a standard for evaluating things that matter and managing value.

Step 2: Factor out the things that matter and draft your Value Codes

Focus on a particular aspect of a thing that matters – not a set of things.

Each Value Code should offer clear, actionable insights.

When presented with a list of things that matter, themes or key areas, it’s important not to directly map each one to a single Value Code. Things that matter, themes or key areas can often encompass multiple facets or dimensions, and each of these might warrant its own distinct Value Code. As you analyze a thing that matters, theme or key area, break it down into its core components or aspects to enable comprehensive and nuanced evaluation.

Write a concise draft Value Code Identifier – a short label, ideally limited to no more than 2 or 3 words or 30 characters.

Don’t worry about your Evaluation Level Labels at this stage. You will want to aim for consistency across a set of Value Codes, but for now you can leave them as “1 to 5” or “Red to Green”.

Draft your Evaluation Statements beginning with ‘level 1’ and ‘level 5’ – it’s often easier to describe the extremes of ‘barely acceptable’ and ‘what good looks like’ before filling in the gaps between.

Each Evaluation Statement should ideally be limited to no more than one or two sentences, or about 25 words.

Once you’re happy with your five Evaluation Statements, write your Value Code Description – ideally limited to no more than one or two sentences, or about 25 words.

We recommend that you begin your Value Code Description with the words “The extent to which” followed by a summary of the detail contained in the fifth Evaluation Statement.

Optionally capture any additional information that might be needed for people evaluating or reviewing reports as ‘Help Text’ (this could include term definitions, links to related material, etc).

Evaluation Statement Drafting Checklist:

In general, we advise that you:

  • Do not use rich text formatting (bold, italic, highlighting, bullet lists, hyperlinks, etc)
  • Do not use numerical stats in evaluation statements – they distract people, including because they feel ‘objective’ in an otherwise mostly subjective medium.
  • Do not make evaluation statements additive, i.e. do not have the same phrase(s) starting each scoring statement and adding more on top.
  • Do ensure that each evaluation statement is an assertive statement, not a general or vague description.
  • Do use textual phrases to indicate quantity, like ‘most of’, ‘sometimes’, ‘frequently’, ‘a majority’, etc.
  • Do maintain consistency in how you structure text across the different evaluation statements.
  • Do maintain consistency in how you order topics in different evaluation statements.
  • Do vary the adjectives and qualifiers around topics in different evaluation statements, to help readers identify the clear differences between each evaluation statement and those on either side of it.
  • Do consider the actions that may need to be taken in order to improve positions (from one evaluation statement to the next) – as this will help ensure the individual evaluation statements are distinct, that evaluation is straightforward and worthwhile and that improvement may be both possible, implied by the differences between Evaluation Statements and readily facilitated after evaluation.

Step 3: Review, edit and finalise a set of Value Codes

Take time to review your Value Codes.

You should flick back and forth between the Evaluation Statements to ensure that they are progressively sequenced and that each one is clearly distinct.

Your Evaluation Statements should be written in a way that the reader should not be confused as to which Evaluation Statement to select. It should not be possible for someone to reasonably be able to select more than one Evaluation Statement at a time.

Avoid unhelpfully vague Evaluation Statements that could potentially be confused because both could simultaneously be true (e.g. “We are improving [x]” and “[x] is incomplete”).

Avoid using Evaluation Statements that include multiple things that make it difficult for someone to choose one over the other. For instance, it could be difficult for someone to choose between the Evaluation Statements “Documents are not clearly written and not easily accessible” and “Documents are clearly written and are easily accessible”, if their documents are not clearly written but are accessible – in this case it may be worth splitting into two separate Value Codes.

Review your set of Value Codes to ensure each is distinct and they do not overlap.

You should group Value Codes into appropriately named ‘Sections’. We advise limiting a diagnostic to about 20 Value Codes spread evenly over about 5 Sections. Sections should contain more than two Value Codes.

When deriving Value Codes from a list of things that matter, themes or key areas, aim for an optimal structure that ensures comprehensive evaluation without overwhelming respondents. As a guiding principle, aim for approximately 20 Value Codes distributed across roughly 5 sections. This structure balances depth and breadth, allowing for a detailed yet manageable evaluation. While there’s flexibility in this number (40 or more Value Codes may be required to cover all the things that matter), try to maintain a relatively even number of Value Codes across sections.

Checklist for finalising a Value Code:

  • each Value Code represents a singular and readily identifiable thing, rather than a collection of things
  • each Value Code Identifier is concise (no more than 30 characters)
  • each Value Code Identifier is meaningful
  • each Value Code Identifier is unique within your set of Value Codes (you don’t have two Value Codes with the same Identifier, even if they are in different sections)
  • each Value Code Description clarifies what the Value Code represents
  • Value Code Help Text (if used) is clear and not distracting for the respondent
  • Value Code Evaluation Statements are consistent with the Value Code Evaluation Level Labels being used
  • Value Code Evaluation Statements progress sequentially from ‘barely/not acceptable’ to ‘what good looks like’
  • Value Code Evaluation Statements are written with a consistent sentence structure
  • Ensure Progressive and Distinct Evaluation Statements. Write evaluation statements that progress logically from less desirable to more desirable states, ensuring each level is distinct and highlights a clear advancement.
  • Value Code ‘Evaluation Statements’ should ideally describe an experiential state, with ‘Evaluation Statement 5’ describing ‘what good looks like in practice’.
  • Use Experiential and Observable Descriptions. Craft evaluation statements that reflect tangible, observable conditions and experiences within the organization, making it easier for respondents to assess their situation.
  • Avoid overly simplifying things to ‘whether or not a process is in place’, where possible – instead describe how the process manifests in reality.
  • Avoid Overuse of the Value Code Term. Refrain from repeatedly using the Value Code term itself within the evaluation statements; instead, convey the concept through descriptions of what it may look like or feel like.
  • Minimize Jargon and Abstract Language. Use clear and accessible language, avoiding industry-specific jargon or abstract terms that may not be universally understood.
  • Avoid focusing on specific people unless explicitly directed to.
  • Value Codes should be clear and accessible – easily understood by respondents without specialized knowledge.
  • Value Codes should be grounded in observable facts and experiences.
  • Value Codes should be reflective of how concepts are woven into daily operations.
  • Value Codes should be progressive – showing a logical advancement from one level to the next.
  • Value Codes should be impactful – highlighting the tangible benefits or consequences at each level.

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