CHUNKING UP/CHUNKING DOWN

‘Chunking up’ refers to moving from small-scale, specific ideas, or pieces of information
to larger, more general ones. ‘Chunking down’ is the opposite — it means going the other
way.

Thinking broadly involves ‘chunking up,’ and this requires that we consider an overview and
visualise what the entire project will look like when it’s complete.

Chief executives are often big picture thinkers; they paint the picture of the vision or goal and
surround themselves with people who like to work out the details and specifics that will allow
the vision to come to fruition.

Those who prefer to burrow deeper and deeper into the details, and pay less attention to the
big picture, are sometimes regarded as inferior thinkers when compared with their broad
thinking colleagues. However, the difference is the thinking styles.

Chunking Up and Down Questions

When we ask chunking up questions, we direct a person from looking at the specific details
to the bigger picture, hich requires them to examine what is important to them. When we
identify what a person’s purpose is, we can build their motivation.

For what purpose?

UP What does achieving this
outcome give you?
What is important to you
about...?
What is that a part of?
What is an example of...?

CHUNKING

What is an example of that?

What is a component of that?
Who/where/what specifically?
What’s stopping you...?
What is an example of this?
How are they stopping you DOWN
specifically?
 CHUNKING UP/CHUNKING DOWN

Questions to Chunk People’s Thinking Upwards

These types of questions help people examine their beliefs, identify what’s important to them
and clarify their vision of their ‘bigger picture’.

Some examples of Chunking Up Questions include:

- For what purpose?

- What does achieving this outcome give you?
- What is important to you about...?
- What is that a part of?
- What is an example of...?
- What have you learned?

Chunking Down Questions

These types of questions help people explore the details and identify specific information.
Some examples of Chunking Down Questions include:

- What is an example of that?

- What is a component of that?
- Who/where/what specifically?

You might hear people say ‘I want to do this...but I can’t because...’. This is an appropriate mo-
ment to chunk down and ask for more details. Listen out for the ‘but’, as it usually comes
before a limiting belief. You could ask:

- What’s stopping you...?

- Who, or what is it, that’s stopping you?
- What is an example of this?
- Who, or what, is stopping you?
- How are they stopping you specifically?

We can use both of these types of questions in our own lives — whenever you have a prob-
lem that seems a little overwhelming, chunk it down into smaller, more manageable pieces.
This helps you to focus on one thing at a time and find solutions before you move on to the
next task.

On the other hand, if you’re ever feeling overwhelmed by too much detail, then chunking up
to find the purpose for what you’re doing will help you get perspective. Gaining an overview of
the big picture helps you define what you are doing and why you are doing it.

So why would we want to ask ‘chunking up’ questions as an NLP Practitioner?

- They allow us to get a better understanding of the big picture — the whole context of the
other person’s problem, decision or goal.
- To identify the client’s values which are underpinning their motivation to a specific goal
or behaviour. Reflecting on your most important values helps you to identify the right
course of action, increases your sense of self-efficacy, and reduces stress.
 CHUNKING UP/CHUNKING DOWN

- They help us to think more strategically, which is an essential skill in therapy

And why would we want to ask ‘chunking down’ questions as an NLP Practitioner?

We could ask ‘chunking down’ questions to get more specific, for example:
- To find the root of a person’s problem
- To fill in any missing information
- To identify specific goals that an individual would like to set
- To find specific ways that a value could be fulfilled in practice

1. Take a few moments to reflect and consider what your natural preference is — is it to think
in big or little chunks?

2. How can start practising your ‘chunking up’ and ‘chunking down’ questioning skills to
become a better communicator for others?