C. Choose
Evaluate alternatives and select a direction.
The Choose stage expands thinking to generate genuine alternatives, then narrows thinking to select the path with the strongest justification. It makes decision logic visible so the direction chosen can be understood, defended, and executed with confidence.
The Question This Stage Answers
Which path best serves the intent, and why not the others?
The Output: The Way Forward
The Way Forward must answer:
- What alternatives were genuinely considered?
- What criteria were used to evaluate them?
- Why was this path selected over the others?
- What trade-offs were accepted and what risks remain?
A decision without alternatives is not a decision. The Way Forward preserves the reasoning, not just the conclusion, so that the choice can be understood by anyone, including those who were not in the room.
Choose also baselines the Target Brief. The decision commits to a direction, and the Target Brief is updated to reflect full, refined intent: purpose, outcomes, scope, and rationale for the chosen path. From this point, the Target Brief is the reference point for Execute and Reflect & Evolve.
Format scales to context. A programme gets a formal decision document with evaluated alternatives. A backlog item gets a brief rationale for the chosen approach. The reasoning it preserves is not optional.
What Success Looks Like
The decision can be explained to someone who was not in the room, including why other options were not chosen, and they understand the reasoning.
Commitment Checklist
Do not proceed until:
- Multiple genuine alternatives were explored
- Evaluation criteria reflect what actually matters in this context
- Trade-offs and remaining risks are understood and accepted
- Stakeholders agree on the reasoning, not just the conclusion
- The Target Brief is baselined: purpose, outcomes, scope, and rationale are locked
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Way Forward? The Way Forward is the output of the Choose stage. It documents which direction was chosen, why it was chosen over alternatives, and what trade-offs were accepted.
Why must alternatives be considered? A decision without alternatives is not a decision. It is the first idea. Genuine alternatives force explicit evaluation and produce a choice that can be defended.
What does it mean to baseline the Target Brief? Baselining means locking the Target Brief at the end of Choose. It becomes the fixed reference point for execution and outcome validation. Changes after this point require a deliberate decision, not silent drift.