Step-by-Step: Creating a Decision Framework
List criteria for good decisions. Weight importance of each factor. Score options against criteria. Document rationale for future reference.
January 2026
December 2025
What Does "Framework" Actually Mean?
A framework is a structured way to think about problems by providing categories, questions, or steps. Frameworks organize thinking, models predict outcomes.
Moral Frameworks Explained Simply
Moral frameworks: Consequentialism judges actions by outcomes. Deontology follows universal rules. Virtue ethics asks what a virtuous person would do.
Framework Overload Explained
Framework overload happens when collecting mental models faster than applying them. Too many frameworks create decision paralysis, not better thinking.
Problem-Solving Frameworks Used by Experts
Experts use frameworks like 5 Whys to find root causes, hypothesis-driven thinking to test assumptions, and issue trees to break problems into parts.
What Are Mental Models and Why They Matter
Mental models are thinking frameworks shaping perception and decisions. They create shortcuts but can blind you to alternatives. Update through feedback.
When Frameworks Fail
Frameworks fail when context changes, oversimplification hides critical nuance, rigidity prevents adaptation, or wrong model is applied to problem.
Strategic Frameworks That Actually Work
Strategic frameworks: SWOT analysis assesses internal and external factors, Porter's Five Forces analyzes competition, Blue Ocean creates new markets.
Why Frameworks Simplify Complexity
Frameworks simplify complexity by reducing cognitive load, enabling pattern recognition across domains, and creating shared language for solving problems.
Universal Principles That Apply Across Domains
Pareto principle: 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. Leverage finds high-impact points. Feedback loops connect outputs to inputs across all systems.
What Is a Principle and Why It Matters
Rules tell you what to do; principles tell you how to think. Principles transfer across contexts while rules remain situation-specific.