When to use this combo
You face a decision with multiple options and many criteria to consider. You want to be rigorous and objective, minimizing the influence of gut feelings and cognitive biases. You prefer numbers, weights, and explicit comparisons.
Is this combo right for you?
Use this combo if you're a data-driven, analytical decision-maker. You distrust gut feelings and prefer to see the numbers. You make pro/con lists, you love scoring models, and you feel most confident when a decision is backed by explicit reasoning. If your instinct is to "put it in a spreadsheet," this combo is tailor-made for you.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Build a Decision Matrix — list all options, define weighted criteria, score each option, and calculate totals. This surfaces the "rational" winner.
Evaluate Opportunity Cost for your top options. What's the best alternative you'd give up by choosing each one? This adds a dimension the matrix might miss.
If scores are close, apply the Hard Choice Model. Recognize this may be a "hard choice" where no option is objectively better — and shift from analysis to values: "Who do I want to become?"