Private beta
Your values aren't a list. They're a system.
Most values exercises stop at a ranking. Values Architect starts there. Sort a deck of cards, then work through a guided conversation that discovers how your values actually fit together: what governs, what's conditional, what you need, and how you decide when they collide.
The card sort and your first two rounds of conversation are free. No password needed.
Why rankings fall short
Integrity, solitude and resilience aren't the same kind of thing.
One might govern everything else. One might be what keeps you sane. One you might have had more of than anyone should need. A top-ten list flattens all three onto a single line, and the most useful part, how they relate and what happens when they conflict, disappears. That's usually where “it's complicated” comes from. The problem isn't you; it's the exercise.
Two values might be one
Honesty and genuineness can turn out to be parts of a deeper commitment, with different jobs to do.
A priority might have a threshold
Loyalty that survives disagreement, but not a demand to go along with something seriously wrong.
A word might be the wrong word
“Non-conformity” can turn out to mean being yourself, whether or not that makes you different.
A need isn't a lesser value
Solitude or humour can be essential to a good life without being moral rules. Both belong on the map.
Some things are capacities
You can have plenty of resilience without wanting a life that keeps demanding it.
Definitions deepen
Integrity might not mean never failing. It might mean owning it when you do, especially when that costs you.
How it works
1. Sort the cards
About 80 values into four piles: Matters most, Matters some, Doesn't matter, and It's complicated. Add any that are missing.
2. Talk it through
A few questions at a time, with scenarios built from your own answers. Qualify anything, correct anything. Your working map builds as you go.
3. Get your map
A visual of how your values system works, a one-page summary and, with a deep dive, an in-depth report in your own words.
What you walk away with
An example map for a fictional person. Yours is built entirely from your own answers, so its shape will be different: not everyone has a single centre, or four clusters.
Sam's Fairness-Centred Values Architecture
How my values system functions
Ethical commitments
- Honesty
- Equality
- Responsibility
- Respect
These define what I won't trade away for comfort.
How I show up for people
- Generosity
- Loyalty
- Reciprocity
Strong commitments, bounded by fairness to everyone involved.
Fairness
Everyone gets a real hearing, including me. Unequal treatment needs a reason I could say out loud.
How I check myself
- Curiosity
- Open-mindedness
- Self-awareness
These test whether I'm being fair or just feeling righteous.
What keeps me going
- Nature
- Play
- Close friendships
Needs, not rules. Without them the rest gets brittle.
Something feels off
A decision, conflict or request lands on me.
Who's affected?
Everyone with a stake gets counted, including me.
Check myself
Am I being fair, or just annoyed? What am I missing?
Weigh the context
Stakes, power, and what each person can bear.
Own the outcome
If I got it wrong, I say so and put it right.
What builds trust for me
I don't need people to agree with me. I do need:
- straight answers, even uncomfortable ones
- effort that flows both ways
- room to change my mind
With those, disagreement is safe.
Not a core value, but a capacity
Self-discipline
Useful when needed; not who I want to be all the time.
Pricing
One-time payments, per map. No subscription. During the private beta, testers get everything free.
Free preview
Free
- The full card sort
- Your first two rounds of conversation
- A working map as you go
Quick map
Coming soon
- About four more rounds, focused on your biggest tensions
- Your visual values map
- A one-page written summary
- Upgrade to a deep dive any time
Deep dive
Coming soon
- Explore as deeply as you like, over as many sittings as you like
- Conditional rules, edge cases, needs and what builds trust
- Visual map and one-page summary
- In-depth multi-page report in your own words
Built for personal material
Encrypted with your own key
Everything you write is encrypted with a key unique to you, itself protected by a key-management service. A copy of our database alone can't be read.
Never sold, never used for training
Your answers go to our AI provider only to generate your replies, and aren't used to train its models.
Yours to delete
Delete a map or your whole account at any time. Share links can be turned off instantly.
Details in the privacy notice.
Questions
Is this therapy?+
No. Values Architect is a structured self-reflection tool. It doesn't diagnose anything or replace professional care, though many people find their map useful to bring to a therapist or coach.
How long does it take?+
The card sort takes about ten minutes. A quick map is roughly half an hour of conversation; a deep dive can run over one or several sittings. Everything saves as you go.
What if the AI gets me wrong?+
Tell it. Every interpretation is a hypothesis until you agree with it. There's a “That's not quite what I meant” button, and you can confirm, rename or move anything on your map directly.
Which AI does it use?+
Claude, made by Anthropic. Your answers are sent to Anthropic to generate replies; under Anthropic's commercial terms they aren't used to train its models.
Can I share my map?+
Yes, with a private link you can turn off at any time. You choose whether it includes your personal quotes and examples or just the structure.