April 21, 2026

Tradeoff tables that travel

Building option comparisons that another analyst can reopen six months later.

Write criteria definitions before scores. Disagreement on meaning is not disagreement on preference.

Record rejected options with the reason. Future you will otherwise reinvent discarded paths.

Keep the table short enough to read aloud in five minutes. Detail belongs in linked notes.

Back to field notes

Colleagues clarifying options on a whiteboard