Twenty-seven frameworks, organized by where in the product lifecycle they earn their keep. Use this as the index — each phase has its own file with the substance.
| Phase | Focus | Frameworks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Strategy & Discovery | Define the why for PMF | PMF Narrative · Working Backwards · Pre-Mortem · Execution Risk Matrix · One-Way / Two-Way Doors |
| 2. Defining the MVP | Scope the minimal path to aha | JTBD Ranking · MoSCoW · Kano · Story Mapping · Cupcake Model |
| 3. Pre-PMF Validation | Find signal to scale | "10 Happy Users" · Sean Ellis Test · Activation Rate / TTV · GTM Strategy Checklist · Smile Curve · ARC PMF Framework |
| 4. Post-PMF Growth | Efficient, repeatable expansion | AARRR (Pirate Metrics) · HEART · Cohort Retention · LTV / CAC · Viral Coefficient (K) · Growth Accounting |
| 5. Continuous Prioritization | Improve North Star via bets | RICE · WSJF · Opportunity Scoring · Storytelling Narrative · North Star Metric |
A framework is a forcing function. The right one depends on what you are trying to make legible — to yourself, to engineering, to leadership.
- Picking what to build → MVP and prioritization frameworks
- Validating whether it will work → Pre-PMF and growth metrics
- Defending why it matters → Strategy & Discovery, Storytelling Narrative
- Deciding whether to commit to a one-way path → One-Way / Two-Way Doors, Pre-Mortem, Execution Risk Matrix
A common failure mode is using the framework that feels productive (e.g. RICE-scoring 200 features) when the actual question is upstream (e.g. which problem are we even solving?). Diagnose the question before you pick the tool.
Frameworks reduce bias and surface stakeholder views. They do not make the decision for you. Use them to structure the conversation, not to replace it.
Three signs you're over-relying on a framework:
- The score is breaking ties with false precision (e.g. RICE 7.4 vs 7.6 driving roadmap order).
- The framework's output is contradicting strong qualitative signal — and you're trusting the score.
- The team has stopped arguing because the framework "decided."
In all three cases, step back, re-state the underlying question in plain English, and use the framework as one input among several.