The Pros and Cons template provides a simple, straightforward framework for decision-making. This format helps teams evaluate options by listing advantages and disadvantages, then considering alternatives before making a final decision.
This template is perfect for teams who want a quick, simple way to evaluate options without the complexity of weighted criteria or scoring systems. It's ideal for smaller decisions or when teams need to make choices quickly.
Simple Decision Framework
The format organizes evaluation into four areas:
- Pros: Advantages, benefits, and positive aspects
- Cons: Disadvantages, drawbacks, and negative aspects
- Alternatives: Other options to consider
- Decision: The final choice based on evaluation
This simple structure helps teams think through decisions systematically while remaining accessible and easy to use.
How to facilitate
Pros and Cons Best Practices
- Be comprehensive: List all relevant pros and cons, not just obvious ones
- Consider different perspectives: What are pros for one person might be cons for another
- Explore alternatives: Don't limit yourself to binary choices
- Weight importance: Not all pros/cons are equally important
- Make decision clear: Document the final choice and reasoning
Facilitation Tips
- Encourage team to think of both obvious and subtle pros/cons
- Consider short-term and long-term implications
- Discuss trade-offs explicitly
- Use voting if pros and cons are balanced
- Document the decision and rationale
When to use this template
When to Use Pros and Cons
- Quick decisions: When you need to decide without extensive analysis
- Simple choices: Binary or straightforward decisions
- Team alignment: Getting everyone to see both sides
- Stakeholder communication: Explaining decision rationale
Example Decisions
This format works well for:
- Choosing between two tools
- Deciding on a process change
- Selecting a meeting time
- Evaluating a feature request
