What is the Communication Evaluation Tool (CET)?
The CET in one paragraph
The Communication Evaluation Tool (CET) is a checklist for looking at a message before you send it. I developed it from my work in coaching and psychological counselling, for the notes, emails and chats that are easy to regret once they have gone. You go through a set of questions, then you write a better version yourself.
The 7 questions to ask before you send a message
The free self-check on this site uses these seven questions, taken word for word from the tool. They appear here as readable text, not only in the interactive form.
- 1 · Energy & Source What state am I writing from, and what do I actually need?
- 2 · Signal & Clarity How clear is my point? (1 = unclear, 5 = clear within the first two sentences)
- 3 · Prediction & Impact How is the message likely to land with the recipient?
- 4 · Boundaries, Responsibility & Reciprocity Is it clear what is mine and what is yours, and may the other person say no?
- 5 · Empathy & Reception How well have I considered the other person’s view? (1 = not at all, 5 = very well)
- 6 · Self-reflection / Pre-flight Would I send this exactly as it is if I reread it tomorrow?
- 7 · Tone & Dignity Does the tone stay respectful: am I criticising the issue, not the person?
A note from the self-check itself: consistency is not scored there, because that would need several messages from the same person.
A before-and-after example
Here is a short example, of the kind the guide works with. It is a teaching example, not a real case.
BeforeYou never listen when I talk about this. I'm sick of having to repeat myself.
AfterI would like us to finish this point. Could we set aside 15 minutes tomorrow without phones?
What changedThe point comes first. The wording is a request, and it leaves room for a no. It talks about the situation, not about the person's character.
How the CET differs from an automatic tone checker
The CET does not rewrite your message for you. It shows you what to look at: your state, your point, the likely impact, boundaries, the other person's view, a last reread, and the tone. You stay responsible for the words that go out. The self-check runs in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or sent, and there is no account and no tracking.
Three ways to use the CET
The free self-check asks the seven questions and then asks you to write your better version. At the end you see an overall score from 1 to 10 and the points worth a second look.
The overall score in the self-check is calculated as the tool itself explains: Signal & Clarity and Empathy & Reception count 20 % each, because they decide whether the message is understood and accepted. Prediction & Impact and Tone & Dignity count 15 % each, because they prevent harm. Energy & Source, Boundaries and Pre-flight count 10 % each. Overall = 1 + 9 × weighted share, rounded (1 to 10). If pre-flight is No, the overall score is capped at 6: if you would not send it yourself, it is worth another revision.
The guide Write Clearly, Stay Calm goes further into the same questions, with before-and-after examples, a checklist and a template. One focus is boundaries phrased as requests rather than demands. It is a PDF of 20 pages, in English, sold for €32.
CET Coach is a Grok bot. It rates a message on the 9 points of the full tool, gives an overall mark from 1 to 10, names three strengths and three improvements, and suggests a clearer version. The nine points are: Energy / Source; Consistency; Signal & Clarity (1 to 5); Prediction & Impact; Replacement / Better Version; Boundaries, Responsibility & Reciprocity; Empathy & Reception (1 to 5); Self-Reflection / Pre-Flight; Tone & Dignity.
That is the difference between 7 and 9: the self-check uses seven questions. CET Coach uses the nine points of the full tool, including consistency (which needs more than one message) and the better version as its own point. In the self-check you write that version yourself.
What the CET is not
The self-check is an aid to reflection. It is not advice, not therapy and not a diagnosis. The same limit is stated on the self-check and on the offerings page: these formats do not replace medical or psychotherapeutic treatment.
Try the free self-check → · The CET guide → · About me →
FAQ
What is the Communication Evaluation Tool?
The Communication Evaluation Tool (CET) is a checklist by Bianca Bell-Chambers for reviewing a message before you send it. It asks seven questions about your state, clarity, likely impact, boundaries, empathy, a pre-flight check and tone. Then you write your own better version.
Is the CET self-check free?
Yes. The self-check on bell-chambers.de is free, needs no account and runs in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or sent.
Does the CET rewrite my message?
No. It shows you what to look at; you write the new version yourself. That is the point: you stay responsible for your words.
What is the difference between the 7 questions and the 9 points?
The free self-check uses 7 questions. The CET Coach bot in Grok rates a message on the 9 points of the full tool and suggests a clearer version. Consistency is one of the nine points and is not scored in the self-check, because it needs several messages from the same person.
What does the score from 1 to 10 mean?
In the self-check, 1 to 10 is the overall score from the seven questions, with the weights stated in the tool. If you would not send the message after a reread the next day, that score is capped at 6. CET Coach also gives an overall mark from 1 to 10, across the nine points of the full tool.
For which messages is the CET worth using?
It is most useful for messages you would rather think over twice: at work, in the family, or with a partner, especially when the tone matters or a boundary is involved.
Is the CET therapy?
No. It is an aid to reflection, not advice, therapy or a diagnosis.