reflectionsfirst

Reflectionsfirst is a term used to describe a methodological emphasis on reflection prior to, and during, action within learning, design, and decision-making contexts. Proponents describe it as a practice that foregrounds metacognition to reduce impulsive judgments and to surface latent assumptions.

The origin of the term is not tied to a single author; it appears in interdisciplinary education, design, and management literature from the 2010s onward. It is typically presented as a guiding principle rather than a formal theory, with variations in implementation across disciplines and organizational settings.

Core components include structured reflection prompts before starting a project, regular reflective journaling or logs during work, and post-action reviews that loop insights back into practice. Tools commonly used are guided questions, checklists, peer feedback, and time allocated for reflective discussion. The approach seeks to create deliberate thinking time that can improve problem framing and risk assessment.

Applications span classrooms, professional development programs, software and product development, and policy evaluation. In education, it supports reflective practice and constructive learning. In design and software, it aims to surface tacit assumptions ahead of prototyping and deployment, helping teams align goals with user needs and constraints.

Reception is mixed. Supporters argue that reflectionsfirst fosters critical thinking and responsible decision-making, while critics note potential time costs and subjectivity, and warn that reflection may become performative without clear guidelines. See also: reflective practice, metacognition, design thinking, pre-mortem analysis.