Pro/Con Lists - A Framework for Effective Decision Making
Why You Should Stop Using Pro/Con Lists And What To Use Instead
Alex Brogan
Most executives reach for pro/con lists when facing major decisions — where to expand, which candidate to hire, whether to pivot strategy. The appeal is obvious: two columns, clean separation, democratic tallying of factors. But this venerable decision-making tool carries hidden costs that compound with the stakes.
Pro/con lists systematically distort judgment in four specific ways. They amplify optimism bias. They treat all factors as equals when they shouldn't be. They artificially constrain your option set. And they drown signal in noise by encouraging exhaustive enumeration of every conceivable factor.
The result? Decisions that feel rigorous but rest on flawed foundations.