Menu

Series

Structured Thinking

Structured problem-solving and consultant-grade communication, from the pyramid principle to handling pushback in the room.

6 parts · read in order

The Answer Goes First
The Pyramid Principle says lead every email, deck, or update with the conclusion, then support it underneath. Here's why readers who scan need that order.
Your Buckets Have a Hole In Them
Most problem breakdowns look organized and are secretly broken. MECE thinking is the two-part test that catches it: no overlap, no gaps.
Nobody Knows Which Part of the Problem Is Theirs
Most people break a problem into the things they noticed. That is a list, and it tells you nothing about what to do first. Here is the one question that turns it into a tree.
The Request Is Not the Problem
Most requests arrive as somebody's private guess at a solution. Reconstructing the real question behind one takes an hour, the cheapest hour in the project.
Guess First, Then Try to Prove Yourself Wrong
Analysis with no hypothesis expands to fill the time and yields a folder, not an answer. Commit to a guess on day one, then spend the time killing it.
Precise Enough to Be Wrong
Precision is a resource, not a virtue. Decide how exact the answer needs to be before you start, or the deadline decides it for you at the worst moment.