Facilitator Guide — README
Facilitator Guide — README#
Facilitator NoteFACILITATOR-ONLY. This folder contains operational reference materials for running Project Threshold V8.1. None of it is distributed to participants.
What's in This Folder#
| File | Function | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Facilitator Guide README | This file | Pre-session orientation; navigation |
| Adjudication Runbook | How to run the Resolution phase; how to narrate outcomes; what Voice of God does and doesn't do | During every round |
| Scoring Baselines | What +2 / 0 / -2 looks like for Strategic Fit and Execution Risk, with examples per archetype | During every round |
| Quick Reference Card | One-page printable cheat sheet — round flow, scoring, Health Signal thresholds, common Move types | Pinned next to facilitator during session |
| Base Case Fallback | Pre-defined default scores for any company that does not submit a worksheet by deadline | When a worksheet is missing |
How to Use This Folder#
Pre-Session#
- Read Adjudication Runbook thoroughly. The Resolution phase is the V8.1 core mechanic and the single highest-leverage thing the facilitator does.
- Read Scoring Baselines and calibrate your scoring sensibility against the examples provided.
- Print Quick Reference Card and keep it visible during the session.
- Skim Base Case Fallback so you know how to handle missing submissions.
During Session#
- Keep the Quick Reference Card visible.
- Reference the Adjudication Runbook between rounds if you need a sanity check on Resolution-phase pacing or VoG framing.
- Apply scoring during the round (parallel to discussion); use the Scoring Baselines as needed.
Post-Session#
- Capture cumulative scores, standout decisions, and pattern observations for facilitator learning.
- Note any cases where the Adjudication Runbook or Scoring Baselines felt inadequate — these are inputs to future versions.
Critical Cross-References#
The Facilitator Guide depends on materials in other folders. Make sure you have these accessible:
| Reference | Where | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Rules of Play | Rules of Play | The canonical mechanic; participants have read this too |
| Y1, Y2, Y5, Y6 round files | 06_Rounds/06_a–06_d_*.md | Per-round facilitator instructions, narration templates, checklist |
| Y5 World State | `07_Supporting_Materials/Y5 World State | Facilitator-only. Canonical 2030 reference for Y5 reveal |
| Anthropic Shopping packet | `07_Supporting_Materials/Anthropic Shopping Packet | Facilitator-only until Y5. Emergent company packet |
| TrueGoods packet | `07_Supporting_Materials/TrueGoods Packet | Facilitator-only until Y5. Emergent company packet |
| Company packets | 03_Participant_Packets/03_a–03_l_*.md | What each participant has been briefed on |
| Decision Worksheet | Decision Worksheet | What participants submit each round |
| Private cards | Private Cards05_a–05_l_*.md` | What each participant receives in Y1 and Y2 |
Facilitator-Only Information That Must Not Leak#
The following must not be revealed to participants before the designated reveal moments:
| Information | Reveal moment |
|---|---|
| AI labs entering the consumer value chain as direct competitors | Y5 opening (Section 4 Part B of Y5 round file) |
| Anthropic Shopping product details | Y5 opening |
| TrueGoods company existence | Y5 opening |
| Specific Y5 capability ceiling (what AI does and doesn't do in 2030) | Y5 opening |
| Each company's exact cumulative score | Never (Health Signal condition only) |
| Reassignment plans for specific participants | Inter-round break before Y5 (private briefing) |
The Y1 and Y2 participant briefings must be read as written — they are calibrated to avoid telegraphing the Y5 reveal. Off-script comments or analogies should be screened mentally for accidental disclosure.
Common Facilitation Failure Modes#
In approximate order of likelihood:
-
Letting the Resolution phase overrun. The mechanic is dramatic and discussion-rich, and the temptation is to give every confrontation full air. Don't. Cap respondents at 30–60 seconds. Resolve outcomes with conviction. Move on.
-
Softening the Y5 reveal. The instinct to ease participants into the AI lab competitive entry is wrong. The reveal lands harder — and produces better strategic thinking — when delivered with weight.
-
Over-narrating in Y1 outcome narration. 30–45 seconds per company. If you find yourself going to 60+, you are over-explaining. Make the consequence specific and move on.
-
Treating reassignment as punitive. Reassigned participants need to feel that they have stepped into the most powerful seat in the room — because they have. The Anthropic Shopping seat is intentionally high-leverage.
-
Scoring inconsistently across companies. Use the Scoring Baselines reference. Be consistent on what +2 means versus 0 versus -2. If two companies make functionally identical decisions and you score them differently, you are doing the room a disservice.
-
Skipping Peer Ranking discussion. The post-ranking conversation ("top of Success — why?") is where the room calibrates itself. Don't truncate it for time.
-
Forgetting the AGI tease in closing. The Y6 closing has a specific framing: "AGI was not in this exercise. AGI is the question your real companies are now answering." Don't skip it. It is the takeaway that participants will remember.
When in Doubt#
When you are not sure how to proceed in real time, default to:
- Pace over depth
- Specificity over generality in narration
- Honoring participant decisions over imposing facilitator preferences
- The Rules of Play as the canonical reference
Document Version: Project Threshold V8.1 — Facilitator Guide README Last Updated: May 2026