Virtual Decision-Making Frameworks

At Uber, decisions used to be made without a formal framework. This worked until it didn't. Here's how to make decisions in a scaling organization 👇 As Jeff Bezos famously pointed out, there are two types of decisions: 1️⃣ 𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Most decisions we make day-to-day are simple and low-risk. We just make them and move on, and if we have to, we readjust once we get more data. 2️⃣ 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Some decisions, however, are high-risk and hard to reverse. That's where you want to spend most of your time, and apply a structured decision-making framework. In fast-growing early-stage startups, most decisions are two-way doors, and decision-making is quick and painless. But as a company grows, 1) more decisions become harder to reverse and 2) the process becomes more painful (less clarity on who owns a decision, more people who want to be involved etc.). That's where frameworks come in. Here are some of the most useful ones: 𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗗 This is the framework Uber ended up adopting. It stands for: 𝗥ecommend, 𝗔gree, 𝗣erform, 𝗜nput and 𝗗ecide. Its main benefit is to clarify responsibilities; one person "has the D", makes the decision, and you can move forward. In chronological order, it works like this: • 𝗜𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁: Multiple parties provide input (subject matter experts, the party responsible for execution etc.) • 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱: The Recommender drives the process and makes a recommendation (that's where most of the work happens) • [Optional] 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲: A designated person makes sure the recommendation meets requirements (e.g. Legal) • 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲: One person is responsible for making the decision • 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺: One person / team implements the decision 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮 "𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁" 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 This framework is less about clarifying roles; rather, it helps you evaluate options at a glance and make informed trade-off decisions. 1️⃣ Decide what criteria you care about (that's your y axis) 2️⃣ List out all options (that's your x axis) 3️⃣ Score each option for each criteria using red / yellow / green color-coding The end result is a simple matrix that lets you quickly see the pros and cons of each option. 𝗦.𝗣.𝗔.𝗗.𝗘. This stands for 𝗦etting, 𝗣eople, 𝗔lternatives, 𝗗ecide and 𝗘xplain. The core idea is that the person responsible for execution also decides. Everyone should be heard, but not everyone has to agree. Here are the steps: 🎯 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘆 the decision by urgency and importance. Only use the framework for important decisions 🖼️ Establish the 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (what, by when, and why) 👨👩👦👦 Include the right 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲: 1) decision-maker (+ accountable for execution), 2) approver and 3) consultant. 💡 Lay out 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. These should be different from each other, feasible and comprehensive. ⚖️ 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 on the best one. 💬 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 the decision and the process.

Four Decision Tree Frameworks Every Product Manager Should Know. After years of supporting product teams to make better decisions, I've found these visual frameworks consistently valuable. Here's what I've learned from applying them: • MECE Trees break down complex problems into clear categories (a game-changer for problem analysis) • Metrics Trees connect lagging business metrics to leading indicators teams can actually influence • Opportunity Solution Trees bridge the gap between metrics and potential solutions • Impact Maps validate decisions by connecting goals to experiments The key insight? Don't use them in isolation. Instead: • Utilize MECE to structure your thinking • Use Metrics Trees to make it measurable (and consider making them MECE) • Apply OSTs and Impact Maps to identify and test solutions that drive customer and business success metrics. I've broken down each framework with outside-in examples from Eventbrite in the attached slideshow. What's your go-to visual framework for product decisions? #prodmgmt #productmanagement #productstrategy #productokrs ##productdiscovery

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺—𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗼. Turn ChatGPT into your 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺: Tackle tough problems by simulating a room full of experts—CEO, CFO, Innovator, Customer, and more. Think like a team. Decide like a strategist. Solve like a pro. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 Role Lens Insights is a powerful way to swarm problems, expose blind spots, stress-test ideas, and generate better solutions. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 • Turns solo thinking into 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 • Builds 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 for different stakeholders • Surfaces 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 • Helps you 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀-𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 and 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 decisions fast • Amplifies your 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝘁 1. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 Clearly state the problem, decision, or idea you want to explore. 2. 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 Select 3–5 expert lenses relevant to your challenge (e.g., CEO, CFO, Innovation Expert, Customer, etc.). 3. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 Ask ChatGPT to respond from each role's perspective (e.g., “As the CFO, what risks do you see?”). 4. 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 Have the roles "discuss" the idea as if in a team meeting. This dialogue reveals tensions, assumptions, and synergies. 5. 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Identify key themes, trade-offs, blind spots, and opportunities across perspectives. 6. 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 & 𝗔𝗰𝘁 Integrate the learnings into a better, more rounded solution. You can also apply thinking tools like 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝘀 or the 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀 to guide deeper analysis. 7. 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 Adjust roles, reframe the problem, or simulate new strategies to explore further. 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮 You prompt ChatGPT to form a virtual team with 5 roles: • 𝗖𝗘𝗢: Focuses on vision and market opportunity. • 𝗖𝗙𝗢: Analyzes financial risk, ROI, and funding needs. • 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁: Evaluates uniqueness and feasibility. • 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱: Assesses customer fit and positioning. • 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: Explains the technical approach and scalability. Together, they discuss an AI-driven platform that predicts customer needs in real-time. Through their dialogue, you surface: • 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Personalized, proactive CX is a differentiator. • 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀: Cost of real-time data processing, competitive landscape. • 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀: Build a lean MVP, target e-commerce, and validate with early adopters. You then 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝘀 to explore the idea emotionally, logically, creatively, and cautiously—sharpening the strategy even further. What challenge will you swarm today?

HOW TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS 3X FASTER Slow decision-making can be the kiss of death for companies in this economy. You spend weeks "deciding" whether to launch that new product feature. Meeting after meeting. Email thread after email thread. Everyone has opinions, but no one knows who actually gets to decide. The PM thinks it's her call. The Engineering lead assumes he has veto power. Sales wants input on timing. Customer Success worries about support load. Meanwhile, your competitor launches a similar feature and captures the market opportunity you've been debating. What you have here is a failure to simply decide. Enter: the RAPID framework: RAPID isn't about speed—it's about role clarity. When everyone knows their part in the decision-making process, everything moves faster. R - RECOMMEND:  Who drives the entire decision process and makes the actual recommendation? This person researches all the options, gathers input from others, analyzes trade-offs, and formally proposes what should be done. They own the decision process from start to finish. A - AGREE:  Who must agree before the decision can proceed? People whose cooperation is essential for implementation. Usually budget owners, legal, and key execution partners. P - PERFORM:  Who will execute the decision? Teams that will actually implement the choice. They don't decide, but their input on feasibility is crucial. I - INPUT:  Who provides specific expertise or information to help the Recommender? These people share relevant data, answer questions, or give their perspective when asked, but they don't drive the process or make recommendations themselves. D - DECIDE:  Who makes the final call? One person or entity with clear authority to choose. They consider all input but own the final decision and its consequences. Without RAPID, decisions ping-pong between stakeholders and people feel left out of important choices. With RAPID, there's a clear process for every decision type and people know when their input matters versus when they're just informed. Just watch how much faster and clearer everything becomes when everyone knows their job. What's one type of decision in your organization that would benefit from RAPID role clarity? *** I’m Jennifer Kamara, founder of Kamara Life Design. Enjoy this? Repost to share with your network, and follow me for actionable strategies to design businesses and lives with meaning. Want to go from good to world-class? Join our community of subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/d6TT6fX5