How do I decide which information should be public, private, or hidden?

Start with the decision the information supports, not with a general wish to keep it secret. For each item, ask: “Who needs this to make their next choice?” and “Would knowing it now remove a surprise the activity is meant to preserve?”

Use these working definitions:

1. Public: everyone participating can see or hear it, and it is relevant to shared decisions or coordination.
2. Private: one player, role, or small group can access it, but others cannot. Someone knows it; access is restricted.
3. Hidden: players should not know it yet. It may be in a sealed envelope, a future instruction, or the activity organizer’s notes. Hidden information may become public or private later.

These are design choices, not guarantees of secrecy. If people can see a card, hear a clue, or read a shared screen, the intended boundary may not hold. Plan what to do if information is accidentally revealed.

Make one row per information item, and use consistent fields. A simple map is:

Item | Who needs it? | Visibility now | Why? | When does it change? | If revealed early…

For example, assume you are planning a cooperative mystery activity. This is an illustrative setup, not a rule for every game:

Room list | All players | Public | The team chooses where to investigate | From the start | No special action Role clue | One assigned player | Private | That player uses it to contribute a distinct observation | At the clue-sharing stage, it may become public | Let the group decide whether to continue with the clue known Final explanation | No players yet | Hidden | Revealing it early would remove the mystery | At the ending | Use a backup ending or revise the activity

The “why” column is important. If you cannot name a decision or intended surprise that the boundary supports, consider making the information public. Keep the map short enough to check while setting up.

Different access can be useful when it creates a reason to communicate, but check whether each person still has a meaningful way to participate. For every private item, note who receives it, what they can do with it, and whether they are allowed or expected to share it. Avoid relying on an unstated rule such as “keep this secret” if players have not been told that.

Then test the map against a few decisions. Could a player act sensibly with what they know? Does anyone have information that makes another person’s choices pointless? Is a key fact private only for a short, explained part of the activity? If unequal access is not serving a clear purpose, make the information public or give participants different but equally useful details.

For a family or classroom activity, also consider whether everyone can access the format: a spoken-only clue may not work for someone who needs written instructions. The map helps you notice access needs, but it does not establish that a design will suit every participant.

Read each row from the participant’s point of view. Check what they can see at setup, during each stage, and at the end. Mark a specific trigger for every visibility change, such as “after the team chooses a room,” rather than “later.” Keep hidden materials physically or digitally separate from public materials, and avoid placing a private clue where another player is likely to read it by accident.

Finally, decide how to handle a slip without blaming anyone: pause, clarify what is now known, and choose whether to continue, adjust the activity, or skip that surprise. That is a planning option, not a promise that every reveal can be undone. Recheck the map after you change instructions, roles, or materials; a change can alter who needs information and when.