The Research Behind Walnut

We built the platform
we wished existed

What we built. Why we built it. The research that made it inevitable.

01
Why We Built This

Coaching was broken. We rebuilt it from scratch.

Traditional coaching is invisible. Coaches and coachees meet. Then — nothing. No data, no skill evidence, no ROI. HR just has to trust it worked.

We didn't buy that. So we studied how people actually change, how skills are actually built, and how growth actually sticks.

Everything in Walnut — every game, every assessment, every skill node — is anchored to specific research. Nothing here is decorative.

What was missing from traditional coaching
DT
No data between sessions
Growth only happened in the room. Everything between sessions was invisible.
ME
No measurable outcomes
Organisations had to take it on faith. Boards couldn't see ROI. HR couldn't prove impact.
EN
Low engagement
Most coaching tools felt like admin. People avoided them. Nothing was designed to be enjoyed.
MA
Random coach matching
Personality fit was luck of the draw. The wrong match wasted months of time and budget.
70% of coaching impact happens between sessions — not in them.
— Research synthesis, International Coaching Federation (ICF), 2022
Our three-framework assessment
OC
OCEAN · Big Five
Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism. The gold standard of personality psychology.
DC
DISC · Behavioural Style
Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness. Maps how you communicate and respond under pressure.
EN
Enneagram · Motivational Core
Nine types rooted in core motivations and fears. Why someone behaves the way they do — not just how.
02
Personality Science

We map who you actually are — not who you think you are.

Research is clear: coaching effectiveness scales with coach-coachee fit. Mismatched pairings don't just underperform — they erode trust.

So we built India's first gamified personality assessment on three of the most validated frameworks in psychology — OCEAN (Big Five), DISC, and Enneagram.

No model is sufficient alone. Together they give the algorithm a three-dimensional picture — coach matches that feel uncanny.

The Big Five personality traits robustly predict occupational performance and professional development outcomes across cultures and industries.
Barrick & Mount, 1991 · replicated in 200+ peer-reviewed studies
03
Mental Model Games

We made the hard work of self-awareness feel like play.

Traditional assessments are tolerated, not enjoyed. People answer strategically. The data comes out polluted.

We asked a different question: what if it was actually fun? Answer: nine mental-model mini-games, each revealing a specific dimension of how someone thinks, decides, and leads under pressure.

Every game maps to a validated psychological construct. By the time your session starts, your coach already knows how you think — not just what you tell them.

Gamified learning interventions significantly outperform traditional formats in engagement, retention, and self-reported learning outcomes.
Hamari et al., 2014 · Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
DM
The Decision Lab
Cognitive bias · Dual process theory
EI
Emotion Reader
EQ · Social awareness
SY
Systems Mapper
Systems thinking · Feedback loops
RE
Reframe It
Cognitive reappraisal · CBT
TP
Time Perspective
Temporal orientation · Zimbardo
TL
Trust Builder
Cooperation · Game theory
VL
Values Ladder
Values elicitation · ACT
IN
Influence Map
Social influence · Cialdini
21 skills across 4 domains
Self Mastery
Emotional Regulation
Self-Awareness
Mindset
Identity
Purpose
Communication
Active Listening
Assertiveness
Difficult Conversations
Influencing
Storytelling
Leadership
Delegation
Decision Making
Strategic Thinking
Team Motivation
Accountability
Performance
Focus & Prioritisation
Productivity Systems
Stress Management
Work-Life Balance
Executive Presence
04
The Skill Tree

Skills aren't checked off. They're grown and signed off.

Most development frameworks have a fatal flaw: completion is self-reported. Watch a video, tick a box. Nothing changes.

Our skill tree runs on mastery-based progression. Each of 137 skills can only be signed off by your ICF-certified coach — after they've watched the behaviour change across multiple sessions.

It's also non-linear. Growth doesn't happen in neat sequences. The tree is yours. Your coach helps you navigate it.

Mastery-based progression, combined with coaching feedback loops, produces 2–3× the skill transfer rate of time-based training models.
Ericsson et al., 2007 · Cambridge Handbook of Expertise
ICF Standard

The ICF is the highest bar
in professional coaching.

Every Walnut coach is ICF-credentialed. That's hundreds of hours of verified practice, an independent exam, and the ICF Code of Ethics — not a marketing claim.

ACC

Associate Certified Coach

100+ verified coaching hours. ICF-accredited training. Independent credential exam. Our Tier 3 Manager coaches.

PCC

Professional Certified Coach

500+ verified hours. Advanced ICF competency assessment. Our Tier 2 Leadership coaches.

MCC

Master Certified Coach

2,500+ hours. Fewer than 4% of coaches worldwide hold it. Our Tier 1 Executive coaches.

125+
ICF Certified Coaches
Active on the Walnut platform
0%
of coachees report measurable behaviour change within 8 weeks
0×
higher skill transfer vs classroom training alone
0%
average engagement lift in corporate programmes
0
validated professional skills in the Walnut skill tree
06
What the Data Says

We track everything so you don't have to wonder.

The oldest objection to coaching: "How do we know it worked?" Too often, the honest answer has been "we felt it did."

Walnut answers it properly. Every signed-off skill, every assessment response, every completed session generates data. The HR dashboard aggregates it into cohort insights.

We don't ask you to trust us. We show you the numbers — backed by the research that told us what to measure.

Coaching interventions that include structured skill tracking and progress measurement produce 40–60% better outcomes than unstructured approaches.
Grant, 2012 · International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching
What we measure on every programme
SK
Skill Velocity
How fast each participant is progressing through their skill tree — tracked week by week.
AT
Session Attendance & Quality
Attendance rates, session feedback scores, and coach rating — aggregated by cohort.
BH
Behaviour Change Index
Mid-programme and end-of-programme self-assessments calibrated against coach observations.
EN
Engagement Score
In-app activity: games played, assignments completed, reflection prompts answered.
FAQ

Questions we get asked

How does coach matching work?

After the gamified OCEAN + DISC + Enneagram assessment, our algorithm matches you to the coach whose personality and specialisms fit your profile. Never random.

What if I don't connect with my coach?

We rematch. No questions asked.

Are all your coaches ICF certified?

Yes — ACC, PCC, or MCC. Verified on onboarding. Must stay certified to stay on the platform.

What's the difference between plans?

Focus: 1 session/month, ACC coach. Momentum: 2 sessions, PCC coach. Mastery: 4 sessions, MCC coach.

Can we do in-person sessions?

Yes. Online or offline on every plan. Offline adds a per-session surcharge.

How do corporate programmes differ from individual?

Corporate: cohort-based, HR dashboard, programme design, end-of-programme ROI report. Individual: 1:1, self-paced, your goals.

How quickly can a corporate programme launch?

3–4 weeks. We handle everything — you approve the design.

What languages are sessions in?

English and Hindi mostly, plus several regional Indian languages on request.

Science-Backed Coaching

Ready to experience
coaching that works?

Every session on Walnut is grounded in the research you just read. Book a call to see the platform in action.

hello@walnut.coach · +91 9999585460 · Vision Co-Work, Saket, New Delhi