# Decision Frameworks

## Decision Type → Framework Mapping

| Type | Key Question | Primary Framework |
|------|-------------|-------------------|
| **Product** | What to build? | User needs + differentiation + feasibility |
| **Growth** | How to scale? | AARRR funnel + bottlenecks + channels |
| **Market** | Where to compete? | Market size + competition + positioning |
| **Technology** | What to build with? | Capabilities + tradeoffs + trajectory |
| **Organization** | Who does what? | Capabilities + culture + constraints |
| **Resource** | What to invest in? | Impact + risk + opportunity cost |

## If Multiple Types Apply

1. What's the primary question the user is asking?
2. What framework will yield the clearest decision?
3. Can we decompose into multiple decisions?

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## Product Decision Framework

### Minimum Data Set
- [ ] **User pain:** What problem are we solving?
- [ ] **User segments:** Who has this problem?
- [ ] **Existing solutions:** What do users do today?
- [ ] **Differentiation:** Why would users switch?

### Analysis Steps
1. **User need validation:**
   - Is this a real problem? How do we know?
   - Is it urgent? Frequent? Expensive?
   - Do users pay to solve it today?

2. **Differentiation analysis:**
   - What are existing solutions?
   - What's our unique angle?
   - Why would users switch?

3. **Feasibility check:**
   - Can we build this?
   - What are the technical risks?
   - What's the time-to-value?

---

## Growth Decision Framework

### Minimum Data Set
- [ ] **AARRR metrics:** Current numbers for each stage
- [ ] **Funnel data:** Where do users drop off most?
- [ ] **Channel data:** Which channels drive acquisition?
- [ ] **Competitor benchmarks:** How do our metrics compare?

### Analysis Steps
1. **AARRR funnel analysis:**
   - Draw the funnel with conversion rates
   - Identify biggest drop-off
   - Find the bottleneck

2. **Channel analysis:**
   - Which channels work best?
   - What's the CAC by channel?
   - Which channels are scalable?

3. **Competitive benchmarking:**
   - How do our metrics compare?
   - Where are we underperforming?
   - What can we learn?

---

## Market Decision Framework

### Minimum Data Set
- [ ] **Market size:** TAM / SAM / SOM
- [ ] **Competitive landscape:** Who are we competing with?
- [ ] **Market trends:** Where is the market heading?
- [ ] **Regulatory landscape:** What constraints exist?

### Analysis Steps
1. **Market sizing:**
   - What's the TAM / SAM / SOM?
   - Is the market growing?
   - What's our potential market share?

2. **Competitive analysis:**
   - Who are the key players?
   - What are their strengths/weaknesses?
   - What's our positioning?

3. **Market dynamics:**
   - What trends are shaping the market?
   - What's the regulatory environment?
   - What are the entry barriers?

---

## Technology Decision Framework

### Minimum Data Set
- [ ] **Requirements:** What capabilities are needed?
- [ ] **Options:** What technologies can meet requirements?
- [ ] **Tradeoffs:** What do we gain/lose with each option?
- [ ] **Team capabilities:** What can the team execute?

### Analysis Steps
1. **Requirements analysis:**
   - What capabilities are non-negotiable?
   - What's nice-to-have?
   - What constraints exist (performance, scale, compliance)?

2. **Option comparison:**
   - What are the viable options?
   - What are the tradeoffs for each?
   - What's the community/ecosystem support?

3. **Risk assessment:**
   - What could go wrong?
   - How do we mitigate?
   - What's the fallback?

---

## Organization Decision Framework

### Minimum Data Set
- [ ] **Team capabilities:** What skills exist?
- [ ] **Culture:** What values/practices are core?
- [ ] **Constraints:** What limits exist (budget, headcount, geography)?
- [ ] **Goals:** What outcomes are expected?

### Analysis Steps
1. **Capability mapping:**
   - What skills do we have?
   - What skills do we need?
   - What's the gap?

2. **Culture assessment:**
   - What's the current culture?
   - What culture do we need?
   - What's the delta?

3. **Structure design:**
   - What's the optimal structure?
   - How do we transition?
   - What's the timeline?

---

## Resource Decision Framework

### Minimum Data Set
- [ ] **Options:** What can we invest in?
- [ ] **Impact:** What returns do we expect?
- [ ] **Risk:** What could go wrong?
- [ ] **Opportunity cost:** What can't we do if we choose this?

### Analysis Steps
1. **Impact assessment:**
   - What's the expected ROI?
   - What's the timeline to impact?
   - How certain are we?

2. **Risk analysis:**
   - What's the worst case?
   - What's the likelihood?
   - How do we mitigate?

3. **Opportunity cost:**
   - What else could we do?
   - What's the tradeoff?
   - What's the right choice?