The SCORE Model: What Information to Collect

The SCORE model is a practical tool designed for gathering information in the context of change. Whether you’re dissatisfied with your job and want to do something about it, your company is facing a tough situation, you’re considering buying a new car but can’t make up your mind, or you want to make your life more interesting, SCORE helps clarify what you need to know. The model outlines specific points to clarify—each letter in SCORE stands for one of these points. While the English acronym “SCORE” is clear and memorable (meaning “mark” or “score”), the Russian translation isn’t as catchy, so the English name is used.

• Symptoms: Current state, what’s happening now.
• Causes: Reasons behind the current situation.
• Outcomes: Desired result or future state.
• Resources: What can help you achieve your goal.
• Effects: Consequences of achieving the outcome.

Symptoms / Current State

This is your present situation—what exactly you want to change. Since the model is rooted in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), there’s a strong focus on sensory details, which are referred to as “symptoms.” For example, if you don’t want to exercise, the symptoms might be: when you think about going to the gym, you feel heaviness in your body, tension in your stomach, your muscles relax, you want to think about something else, and you crave a tasty snack.

Causes

These are the reasons for your current situation—past experiences that have “taught” you to behave this way. In many cases, especially in NLP, it’s not always necessary to dig into the past; the focus is more on the future. If the history behind your current state isn’t relevant or you can’t recall it clearly, you can skip this step.

For example, maybe as a teenager, your father made you go running with him whether you wanted to or not, leaving you with the feeling that any sport is forced. Or, as in the story of a man who was forced to eat semolina as a child while a Soviet Aeroflot poster hung in the kitchen—later, he developed a lifelong fear of flying, which was traced back to those unpleasant childhood associations.

Outcome / Desired State

This is your goal—what you want instead of your current situation. For example, you want to work out at the gym at least three times a week.

Resources

These are the things that can help you reach your goal. Resources can come from your past, present, or future, and may include skills you need to learn. Examples include calmness, confidence, the belief that “exercise is important,” the desire to be “in shape,” willpower, and persistence.

Effects

These are the consequences of achieving your goal, both for yourself and for those around you. Remember, consequences can be positive or negative, and it’s important to evaluate them to decide if your goal is worth pursuing, needs adjustment, or should be abandoned altogether. The “Descartes’ Coordinates” technique can be helpful here.

For example, if you start working out three times a week, you might lose weight, feel better, and get stronger. You hope your shortness of breath will go away. However, you’ll spend a lot of time on this, might not have time for other things, your muscles will be sore after workouts, your life will change significantly, and there’s a risk of injury.

How to Use the SCORE Model

SCORE simply outlines the key points for information gathering, but you don’t always have to follow the order strictly. Sometimes, exploring the consequences makes you rethink your goal, recall something important from the past, better understand your current state, or add new resources. Information gathering is a dynamic process.

This model is useful for consultants and coaches working with clients, as well as for self-reflection when setting goals or solving problems. Often, problems resolve themselves during the information-gathering process, as people discover their own ways to change. If a solution isn’t found right away, using SCORE helps you develop the most suitable intervention plan.