The Decision Framework
The Portfolio Decision Framework
Four decisions. Every initiative. Every month.
STOP / CONTINUE / INVEST / WATCH
Why structured decisions matter
Most organizations make portfolio decisions implicitly — in hallway conversations, in slide comments, in email threads. Nothing is logged. Nothing is auditable. The same initiatives continue long after the evidence says they should have stopped.
STOP
This initiative is not delivering strategic value and continuing it costs more than stopping it.
When to use
- →Budget consumed over 80% with delivery under 30%
- →The strategic pillar it serves has been deprioritized
- →Gate rejected twice with no credible recovery plan
- →Owner has not engaged for an extended period
- →External dependency that cannot be resolved
Stopping is not failure — it is strategic discipline. The best-run portfolios STOP 15–25% of initiatives per year. Not because teams failed — because strategy evolved and the initiative no longer serves a current priority.
CONTINUE
This initiative is on track and the strategy it serves is still valid. It has what it needs to succeed.
When to use
- →Progress is within normal variance for the initiative type
- →Owner is engaged and the plan forward is clear
- →Strategic priority this initiative serves is unchanged
- →A signal was surfaced but the owner has a credible response plan
CONTINUE is a conscious decision — not the absence of a decision. Choosing to CONTINUE means you have reviewed the evidence and believe the initiative will deliver.
INVEST
This initiative is delivering and deserves more resources to accelerate its impact.
When to use
- →Strong execution with an OKR at risk of falling short
- →Competitive pressure in the same space — time to accelerate
- →Initiative outperforming — the case for scaling it is clear
- →Under-resourced relative to its strategic priority
INVEST decisions require the same rigor as STOP decisions. Adding resources without adding governance creates a different kind of problem. Every INVEST decision should specify what the additional resource is expected to produce.
WATCH
This initiative needs monitoring. Not ready to stop. Not ready to continue without more information.
When to use
- →First signal occurrence — wait to see if it's a pattern
- →Owner change in the last 30 days — give new owner time to orient
- →External dependency outside the organization's control
- →New information expected within 30 days that will clarify the picture
Every WATCH decision has a review date. WATCH is not permission to ignore an initiative — it is a commitment to return to it with fresh eyes at a specific point.
The decision log
Every STOP, CONTINUE, INVEST, and WATCH decision is logged in StartConsole with: the date and decision maker, the rationale, the next review date (for WATCH), and the connected signal if applicable. This creates the audit trail that transforms portfolio governance from intuition to evidence.
Decision cadence
Portfolio decisions happen at every SteerCo. Not annually. Not quarterly. Monthly. The portfolio that gets reviewed monthly performs better than the portfolio reviewed quarterly — because course-corrections happen before they become crises.
The Execution OS runs on StartConsole