155 Decision Frameworks, 10 Categories
Every framework scored using deterministic rubrics. Browse by category or search for a specific methodology.
27
Decision Science (MCDA)
20
Strategic Analysis
20
Financial Analysis
16
Risk Assessment
19
Technical Evaluation
14
Product & Market
12
Organizational & Change
11
Innovation & Growth
8
Prioritization & Scoring
8
Operations & Process
Decision Science (MCDA)(27)
Weighted Decision Matrix
Scores options against weighted criteria for systematic comparison
Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)
Derives priority weights from pairwise comparisons with consistency check
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)
Formal multi-criteria evaluation combining multiple scoring methods
Regret Minimization Framework
Evaluates options through the lens of future regret minimization
ANP (Analytic Network Process)
Extends AHP to handle interdependencies and feedback between criteria and alternatives
TOPSIS
Ranks alternatives by closeness to ideal solution and distance from anti-ideal solution
ELECTRE (I / II / III / IV / TRI)
Outranking method using concordance/discordance to identify non-dominated alternatives
PROMETHEE (I / II)
Outranking method producing partial or complete ranking based on pairwise preference flows
VIKOR
Finds compromise solution closest to ideal, balancing maximum group utility and minimum individual regret
MAUT (Multi-Attribute Utility Theory)
Evaluates alternatives under uncertainty using utility functions for each attribute
MAVT (Multi-Attribute Value Theory)
Evaluates alternatives under certainty using value functions (simplified MAUT without risk modeling)
MACBETH
Converts qualitative pairwise judgments of attractiveness differences into cardinal scores via linear programming
WPM (Weighted Product Model)
Ranks alternatives by weighted product of scores, avoiding normalization issues
COPRAS
Ranks alternatives using proportional assessment of benefit and cost criteria
ARAS (Additive Ratio Assessment)
Ranks alternatives by comparison to an optimal/ideal alternative using additive ratios
WASPAS
Combines WSM and WPM approaches for robust ranking
EDAS (Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution)
Ranks alternatives by positive and negative distance from the average solution
CODAS
Ranks alternatives using Euclidean and Taxicab distances to the negative ideal point
MARCOS
Ranks by relationship to ideal and anti-ideal reference points using utility functions
MABAC
Ranks alternatives by distance from border approximation area (above average = positive)
MULTIMOORA
Ranks alternatives using three independent methods combined (ratio system, reference point, full multiplicative form)
GRA (Grey Relational Analysis)
Ranks alternatives by grey relational grade measuring closeness to ideal sequence
DEMATEL
Maps causal relationships and influence between criteria/factors to determine cause-effect structure
Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)
Measures relative efficiency of decision-making units using linear programming on multiple inputs/outputs
Kepner-Tregoe Decision Analysis
Structured evaluation using mandatory MUST criteria, weighted WANT criteria, and adverse consequence assessment
QFD / House of Quality
Translates customer requirements into prioritized technical specifications
Weighting Methods (BWM, SWARA, CRITIC, ENTROPY, FUCOM, MEREC)
Supporting methods for determining criteria weights — used as inputs to other MCDA methods
Strategic Analysis(20)
SWOT Analysis
Evaluates strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats per option
Porter's Five Forces
Analyzes competitive dynamics across five industry forces
Ansoff Matrix
Classifies growth strategy by market/product newness and assesses risk
Blue Ocean Strategy
Evaluates potential to create uncontested market space
Competitive Positioning
Maps option positioning relative to competitors on key dimensions
Strategic Alignment Assessment
Measures how well an option aligns with organizational mission and goals
TOWS Matrix
Derives strategic alternatives from SWOT cross-analysis (SO/ST/WO/WT strategies)
PESTEL Analysis
Evaluates macro-environmental factors (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal) affecting a business
VRIO Framework
Assesses whether resources/capabilities can sustain competitive advantage (Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, Organized)
Value Chain Analysis (Porter)
Identifies how a business creates value through primary and support activities
BCG Growth-Share Matrix
Classifies business units/products by relative market share and market growth for portfolio investment decisions
GE-McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix
Multi-factor portfolio prioritization of business units by industry attractiveness and competitive strength
Cynefin Framework
Classifies situational complexity to determine appropriate decision-making approach
Stacey Matrix
Determines decision approach based on agreement and certainty levels
Wardley Mapping
Maps strategic landscape by plotting value chain components against evolution stage (genesis to commodity)
CAGE Distance Framework
Measures cross-border market attractiveness by Cultural, Administrative, Geographic, and Economic distance
Porter's Generic Strategies
Identifies fundamental competitive approach: cost leadership, differentiation, or focus
Industry Lifecycle Analysis (ADL Matrix)
Prescribes strategy based on competitive position relative to industry maturity stage
Profit Pool Analysis
Maps where profits are actually generated across an industry value chain
Strategic Group Mapping
Visualizes competitive positions of firms within an industry on two strategic dimensions
Financial Analysis(20)
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Compares total costs against quantified benefits for each option
Total Cost of Ownership
Calculates full lifecycle cost including hidden and ongoing expenses
Opportunity Cost Analysis
Quantifies what is given up by choosing one option over others
Net Present Value (NPV)
Determines whether an investment creates value by discounting projected future cash flows to present value
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
Calculates annualized return rate that makes NPV equal to zero
Modified IRR (MIRR)
Corrects IRR for realistic reinvestment and financing rate assumptions
Profitability Index (PI)
Measures value created per unit of investment (PV of future cash flows / initial investment)
Real Options Analysis (ROA)
Values flexibility and strategic options embedded in investments under uncertainty
Break-Even Analysis
Calculates volume/revenue needed to cover total costs
Economic Value Added (EVA)
Measures whether a business generates returns above its cost of capital
DCF Analysis
Determines intrinsic value of a business based on projected future free cash flows
Comparable Company Analysis
Values a company based on trading multiples of similar public companies
Altman Z-Score
Predicts probability of financial distress/bankruptcy using five financial ratios
DuPont Analysis
Decomposes ROE into profitability, efficiency, and leverage components
Activity-Based Costing (ABC)
Traces overhead to activities for true cost per product/service/customer
LTV:CAC Ratio
Evaluates unit economics health by comparing customer lifetime value to acquisition cost
Decision Tree Analysis / EMV
Calculates optimal decision path under uncertainty by computing expected monetary values across branches
Value at Risk (VaR)
Estimates maximum potential portfolio loss over a time period at a given confidence level
Synergy Valuation Framework
Values dollar synergies from combining two entities (M&A context)
Economic Moat Analysis
Assesses durability and width of competitive advantages protecting long-term profitability
Risk Assessment(16)
Risk Assessment Matrix
Maps risks by probability and impact to quantify overall risk exposure
Scenario Planning
Evaluates best-case, worst-case, and most-likely outcomes
Execution Feasibility Assessment
Assesses practical ability to implement each option successfully
Reversibility Assessment
Evaluates how easily a decision can be undone if it fails
FMECA (Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis)
Extends FMEA with criticality ranking based on failure probability and consequence severity
Bow-Tie Analysis
Maps causes, controls, and consequences of a hazard event in a single visual model
Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
Deductively analyzes combinations of events leading to a specified undesired top event
Event Tree Analysis (ETA)
Models possible outcomes following an initiating event through sequential barrier successes and failures
Monte Carlo Simulation
Generates probability distributions of outcomes under uncertainty via thousands of random iterations
Bayesian Network Analysis
Models complex interdependent risk factors using probabilistic graphical models
FAIR (Factor Analysis of Information Risk)
Quantifies cyber and operational risk in financial (dollar) terms using loss decomposition
RCSA (Risk and Control Self-Assessment)
Assesses inherent risks, control effectiveness, and residual risks within business processes
RAID Log
Tracks four categories of project uncertainty (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies) simultaneously
Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
Assesses impact of business function disruptions and determines recovery priorities
Cross-Impact Analysis
Analyzes how occurrence of one event changes probability of other events
Delphi Method
Achieves expert consensus on uncertain future events through iterative anonymous rounds
Technical Evaluation(19)
Pugh Matrix
Compares options against a baseline across multiple criteria
Scalability Assessment
Evaluates how well an option scales with growing demands
First Principles Analysis
Decomposes options to fundamental truths and builds up from there
FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)
Identifies potential failure modes and their severity, occurrence, and detection
Sensitivity Analysis (Meta)
Identifies which input variables most affect the outcome
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Evaluates software architecture quality against quality attribute goals; identifies risks and tradeoffs
CBAM (Cost Benefit Analysis Method for Architecture)
Evaluates economic ROI of architectural strategies
TRL (Technology Readiness Level)
Assesses maturity of a technology from basic concept (TRL 1) to proven deployment (TRL 9)
Build vs. Buy Decision Framework
Evaluates whether to build custom software or purchase/license existing solutions
Vendor/RFP Evaluation Matrix
Scores vendor proposals against standardized weighted evaluation criteria
STRIDE Threat Modeling
Identifies security threats against a system across six categories (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, DoS, Elevation of Privilege)
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System)
Scores severity of software vulnerabilities on a 0-10 scale
CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration)
Assesses process maturity and capability across development, services, and acquisition
Six Sigma DMAIC
Improves process capability and reduces defects through five structured phases (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)
Earned Value Management (EVM)
Measures project schedule and cost performance against baseline plan
GQM (Goal Question Metric)
Operationalizes software quality goals through questions answered by specific metrics
HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study)
Analyzes process design deviations using guide words applied to each process parameter
STAMP/STPA
Identifies system-level hazards from unsafe control actions and control structure flaws
Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)
Determines optimal maintenance strategy for physical assets based on failure modes and consequences
Product & Market(14)
Kano Model
Classifies features as must-be, one-dimensional, attractive, or indifferent
Jobs To Be Done
Evaluates how well each option fulfills the core job the user is hiring it for
Lean Canvas
Evaluates business model viability across 9 key dimensions
Business Model Canvas
Evaluates business model completeness across 9 building blocks on one page
Value Proposition Canvas
Evaluates fit between customer needs (jobs, pains, gains) and product offering
TAM-SAM-SOM Analysis
Sizes market opportunity at three levels of realism (Total Addressable, Serviceable Available, Serviceable Obtainable)
RFM Analysis (Recency, Frequency, Monetary)
Segments customers by purchase recency, frequency, and monetary value
Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter
Determines acceptable price range and optimal price from customer survey data
Conjoint Analysis
Measures value customers place on individual features/attributes relative to price
Seven Powers (Helmer)
Identifies sources of durable competitive advantage (scale economics, network effects, switching costs, brand, process power, cornered resource, counter-positioning)
AARRR Pirate Metrics
Diagnoses growth funnel health across Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Revenue, Referral stages
Disruptive Innovation Framework
Assesses whether a product/business threatens incumbents through disruption from below
Technology Adoption Lifecycle (Rogers)
Classifies market adoption stage (innovators through laggards) and prescribes go-to-market strategy
Opportunity Scoring (Ulwick)
Identifies innovation opportunities based on importance vs. satisfaction gap
Organizational & Change(12)
Stakeholder Impact Analysis
Maps how each option affects different stakeholder groups
RACI Matrix
Clarifies roles for tasks and decisions: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed
RAPID Framework (Bain)
Assigns decision rights: Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide
DACI Framework
Assigns decision ownership: Driver, Approver, Contributors, Informed
SPADE Framework
Structured process for making and communicating difficult decisions (Setting, People, Alternatives, Decide, Explain)
Kotter's 8-Step Change Model
Guides organizational change through eight sequential steps from urgency to institutionalization
ADKAR Model (Prosci)
Assesses individual change readiness across Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement
Salience Model
Prioritizes stakeholders based on power, legitimacy, and urgency dimensions
9-Box Talent Grid
Categorizes employees by current performance and future potential for succession planning
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
Aligns and tracks progress toward ambitious goals via measurable key results
Hoshin Kanri (Policy Deployment)
Aligns long-term vision, annual objectives, and daily activities through X-Matrix cascading
Burke-Litwin Model
Diagnoses causal relationships between 12 organizational factors affecting performance
Innovation & Growth(11)
Stage-Gate Process (Cooper)
Manages innovation pipeline with go/kill decisions at defined gates using multi-criteria scorecards
Three Horizons Framework
Balances investment across current operations (H1), emerging businesses (H2), and future options (H3)
Innovation Ambition Matrix
Assesses innovation portfolio balance across core, adjacent, and transformational initiatives
Playing to Win (Lafley & Martin)
Tests strategy coherence across five integrated choices: aspiration, where-to-play, how-to-win, capabilities, management systems
Growth Flywheel Framework
Maps self-reinforcing growth loops and identifies intervention points to accelerate momentum
Design Thinking Double Diamond
Structures problem-solving through divergent/convergent thinking in two diamonds (Discover/Define/Develop/Deliver)
Product Lifecycle Analysis
Determines strategic approach based on product lifecycle stage (Introduction, Growth, Maturity, Decline)
Bowman's Strategy Clock
Classifies competitive positioning across 8 positions based on price and perceived value
Reference Class Forecasting
Improves forecast accuracy by anchoring to historical base rates of comparable projects
Horizon Scanning
Identifies emerging trends, signals, and weak signals that could impact an organization
M&A Due Diligence Scoring
Evaluates target company across strategic, financial, operational, and risk dimensions for deal decisions
Prioritization & Scoring(8)
RICE Scoring Model
Prioritizes features/initiatives by (Reach x Impact x Confidence) / Effort
ICE Scoring Model
Prioritizes features/experiments by Impact x Confidence x Ease
WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First)
Sequences work by Cost of Delay / Job Size for maximum economic value delivery
MoSCoW Method
Classifies requirements by necessity: Must-Have, Should-Have, Could-Have, Won't-Have
Pareto / ABC Analysis
Identifies the vital few factors driving the majority of effects using the 80/20 principle
Eisenhower Matrix
Classifies tasks by urgency and importance into Do, Schedule, Delegate, Delete
Value vs. Effort Matrix
Identifies quick wins by plotting items on value (high/low) vs. effort (high/low)
Cost of Delay Analysis
Quantifies economic impact of not delivering a feature/project now
Operations & Process(8)
Time-to-Value
Measures how quickly each option delivers meaningful value
Value Stream Mapping (Lean)
Maps end-to-end process showing value-added vs. waste to identify improvement opportunities
Theory of Constraints (Goldratt)
Identifies and exploits system bottleneck to maximize throughput using five focusing steps
SCOR Model
Benchmarks supply chain performance across Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, Return, Enable
Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)
Calculates optimal order quantity minimizing total inventory costs
SCRAM (Supply Chain Resilience Assessment)
Assesses supply chain resilience through vulnerability and capability gap analysis
Ishikawa / Fishbone Diagram
Categorizes potential causes of a problem using 6M structure (Man, Machine, Method, Material, Measurement, Mother Nature)
8D Problem Solving
Resolves product/process problems through eight disciplines from team formation to permanent corrective action
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