What Framework to follow?
Let’s be frank. There are a thousand frameworks in the market and every other day, someone or the other comes up with something new. Some of them are copycat frameworks like the set below.
MVP Canvas
Mission Model Canvas
Browse around, you will find many variants of it.
On the other hand, you will have many models which can define a framework.
The famous double diamond
The Ansoff Matrix
Cynefin
The any number of SAP Activate Methodologies
And many more!! Disparate, interesting, derived and independent. Now, let’s extend our domain further. Let’s see what can we get.
NIH Specific Aims Model
Life Cycle Analysis
Shall we go even extreme?
The Salopian Way of Shrewsbury School, UK
One can go on and on.
But then, if there are these many models to choose from(management, way of life, requirement gathering are the main categories under which you will notice these), which one should we choose from? What’s the most optimum one for us to choose from?
The answer is, there is none. Every individual is unique and the challenges he face have a perspective of uniqueness in them. Focussing too much on a framework also will not work because a framework is a guiding principle, not a dogma which drives us. And your rigid framework may crack under certain scenarios.
My proposal is this. Consider the below ones. Don’t hold anything sacrosanct. Throw them as and when you feel it’s not needed and create a new one
Realize the importance of Double Diamond, Wardley Maps and Cynefin Models. Have both of them.
What is your end goal? Based on the end goal, define the workflow.
What is the feedback loop you are going to have?
What are your work ethics?
In essence, all you need is the realization of the quantum of information you hold, it’s market maturity and the complexity of the process at that point of time, what do you want to achieve it and how do you want to reach there, how do you handle feedback and more importantly, how does this fit into your personal value statement?
Around this core structure, incorporate something which you come across. As I noted above, it need not come from a core management thinktank. It can come from some random school or process guidelines provided. Let’s remember, a framework is a philosophy, a way of achieving things. The nittie-gritties can change(if it is a migration project, you may leverage Activate. If it is a design thinking problem, leverage the 5E Design Thinking Framework and so on) but how you are approaching it, and how the world perceives it should be same - unless you are an expert in churning out frameworks which you use for that particular implementation.
Let’s be frank. This is how your finished model will look like.
