---
title: "EventStorming: Don't be shy on duplicating stickies"
source: "https://virtualddd.com/heuristics/eventstorming-dont-be-shy-on-duplicating-stickies/"
authors: ["Cédric Pontet"]
tags: ["eventstorming", "collaborative software design", "collaborative modelling", "sociotechnical systems"]
type: "guiding heuristics"
question: "When running EventStorming workshops, duplication is not evil."
submitter: "Cédric Pontet"
---

# EventStorming: Don't be shy on duplicating stickies

People, especially developers, usually abhor duplication. But when running an EventStorming workshop, duplicating sticky notes is not necessarily evil, and even recommended.

## Summary of the solution

The goal of an EventStorming workshop, whether you run a Big Picture, Process Modeling, or Software Design session, is to be as explicit as possible and enforce the timeline. So it is not a problem to see the same *Event* occur twice, three times or even more, on the design surface. It's even recommended in order to gain clarity and avoid going back on the timeline.

Same goes for *People*, *Systems*, *Aggregates* and *Policies*. If they are involved at different moments in the process, then duplicate the sticky note to keep the timeline clean and enforce the flow.