Updated on 12 November 2026 by Nicolas Finet, CEO of Sortlist. We have rewritten this guide to be a practical template: what the WWWWWH method (also called 5W1H or the Five Ws and One H) is, how to use each question in project management, briefing, sales and content, and a ready-to-use checklist. We corrected the common attribution to Rudyard Kipling and shortened the earlier version.
The WWWWWH method is a checklist of six questions (Who, What, Where, When, Why and How) used to define a project, brief or problem completely before you start. It is a way to check coverage: if one question is unanswered, the plan has a gap. It is often called the Kipling method after a poem in his 1902 Just So Stories that mentions "six honest serving-men", but the link to Kipling is disputed and the Five Ws are far older in journalism and rhetoric.
Key takeaways
- Six questions, asked in any order: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How.
- Use it to scope projects, write briefs, plan campaigns, structure sales calls and investigate problems.
- Start with Why: purpose shapes the other answers; then do How carefully, as it is often where plans fail.
- Turn answers into a one-page document that all stakeholders sign off.
- Revisit the answers when scope, budget or priorities change.
The six questions
| Question | What it clarifies | Example in a marketing project |
|---|---|---|
| Who? | People involved: audience, stakeholders, owner, suppliers | Audience: operations managers in UK manufacturing; owner: marketing manager; agency: design studio |
| What? | The deliverable and scope; what is in and out | A landing page, three emails and a case study |
| Where? | Channels, locations, systems | Website, LinkedIn, email; UK only |
| When? | Deadlines, milestones, timing around events | Launch on 1 March; drafts by 1 February |
| Why? | The objective and the business reason | Generate 100 qualified leads to support a new product |
| How? | Method, resources, budget, process and measures | £12,000 budget, weekly reviews, tracked leads in the CRM |
Where to use the method
- Project management. Define scope, objectives, timeline and resources at the start. See media plan for a channel-focused example.
- Creative and agency briefs. A short brief covering the six questions gives agencies what they need to quote and work. A structured brief helps produce comparable quotes.
- Sales and discovery calls. Ask who decides, what the problem is, why now, when they need a solution, where it will be used and how they buy.
- Content planning. Define who the content is for, what it answers, where it appears, when to publish, why it matters and how to measure it.
- Problem analysis. Investigate incidents by who was involved, what happened, where, when, why and how it can be prevented.
- Journalism and PR. The same questions structure a press release.
How to start: a five-step process
- Write the six questions on a page or in a shared document.
- Answer Why first. If you cannot state the purpose in one sentence, stop and clarify it with stakeholders.
- Answer the rest with the team. Involve the people who will do the work, since they notice gaps and risks.
- Add detail where needed. Break each answer down: for example "Who" into decision-maker, user, supplier and approver.
- Create a script or brief summarising the answers in one page and share it for sign-off.
Using WWWWWH in sales
| Question | Sales discovery prompt |
|---|---|
| Who | "Who is involved in the decision, and who will use the solution?" |
| What | "What problem are you trying to solve, and what have you tried?" |
| Where | "Where does this problem show up in your process or business?" |
| When | "When do you need this in place, and what is driving the date?" |
| Why | "Why is this a priority now, and what happens if nothing changes?" |
| How | "How do you evaluate options, and how will you measure success?" |
Sortlist editorial note: a good brief fits on one page. If it takes more, you have probably not decided what matters most.
Sortlist editorial team
Worked example: planning a product launch
A UK bakery chain wants to launch a new gluten-free range. Using the six questions, the team writes the following. Why: add 15% to weekday sales in eight weeks by reaching customers who currently go elsewhere. Who: coeliac and gluten-intolerant customers and their families, store managers, a nutrition adviser for label checks, and the marketing lead as owner. What: six products, in-store signage, a landing page and an email series; no paid TV or national advertising. Where: 24 shops in the North West, the website, Instagram and local Facebook groups. When: product trials in March, launch on 1 May, review at four and eight weeks. How: a £9,000 budget, supplier approvals for allergen controls, staff training in cross-contamination, weekly sales reports and a promo code to track the email campaign. Writing it down exposed a missing step, allergen training, before launch rather than after.
Common mistakes when using the method
- Answering with vague words ("soon", "everyone", "improve") instead of dates, names and numbers.
- Skipping Why and starting with How, which locks in a solution before the problem is clear.
- Letting one person answer alone, so assumptions go unchallenged.
- Filing the answers and never revisiting them when circumstances change.
Advantages and limits
- Advantages: simple, memorable, fast to use, and it reveals missing information early; it works across teams and industries.
- Limits: it does not prioritise or rank answers, assess risk in depth or replace detailed planning. Combine it with a plan, budget and risk register for larger projects.
Sample one-page brief template
| Section | Prompt |
|---|---|
| Why | The objective and success measure in one sentence |
| Who | Audience, owner, approvers and suppliers |
| What | Deliverables, formats and what is out of scope |
| Where | Channels, markets and systems |
| When | Key dates and dependencies |
| How | Budget, process, tools and reporting |
For a creative brief example see graphic design prices, which explains what to include to get accurate quotes.
Frequently asked questions
What does WWWWWH stand for?
Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.
Is it the same as 5W1H?
Yes. It is also called the Five Ws and One H, or the Kipling method.
Did Kipling invent it?
No. The attribution comes from his poem about six serving-men, but the questions predate it and the link is disputed.
Which question should come first?
Start with Why, then work through the rest in whatever order suits the project.
Need help planning a project or brief? Post your project on Sortlist and compare UK agencies for free.
Sources: SafetyCulture, guide to the 5W1H method, Umbrex, 5Ws and 1H creative brief framework, Velaction, 5W1H, Adobe, the 5 Ws and 1 H for every project. Attribution to Kipling is disputed in the literature.
