1 — THE DECISION

Start with the corporate situation you want to examine.

Identify the opportunity or situation you have in mind and the decision you believe the buyer is trying to make.

Which best describes the corporate situation you want this Review to help examine?

Briefly describe the situation you want us to understand.

What decision do you believe the buyer is trying to make?

What gives you that understanding?

Select the best answer.

2 — YOUR CURRENT EXPLANATION

Now examine the explanation you're currently using.

Consider what you believe is helping, limiting, delaying or creating uncertainty—and what presently supports that explanation.

What is your current explanation for what is helping, limiting, delaying or creating uncertainty in this corporate situation?

What evidence, feedback or experience supports your current explanation?

Select all that apply.

If useful, briefly explain the evidence or feedback you selected.

3 — THE BUYER'S DECISION

Shift from your explanation to the buyer's perspective.

Consider what the buyer may need sufficient reason to believe before making the decision.

What do you believe the buyer needs sufficient reason to believe about your organization before making this decision?

Select the areas that appear most relevant.

Thinking about the belief or beliefs you identified above, what is the strongest basis for your understanding?

Select the best answer.

If useful, tell us what the buyer said, asked for or did that informed your answer.

4 — THE EVIDENCE

Now examine what actually supports those beliefs.

Consider what evidence exists, what form it takes and whether the buyer has had an opportunity to evaluate it.

For the buyer belief or requirement you consider most consequential, what evidence currently supports it?

You might consider prior performance, relevant customer work, processes, people, capacity, performance measures, certifications, references, systems, controls or other evidence relevant to the decision.

A legitimate answer is: I do not currently have evidence for this.

Which best describes the strongest evidence you identified?

Has the buyer had an opportunity to see or evaluate this evidence?

Select the best answer.

If useful, briefly explain how this evidence has been or could be made visible to the buyer.

5 — THE UNCERTAINTY

Look for what the available evidence does not yet establish.

Consider where a prudent buyer could still have an unanswered question or require stronger evidence.

Where, if anywhere, do you believe a prudent buyer could still have an unanswered question or require stronger evidence before making this decision? A legitimate answer is: I am not presently aware of one.

What do you know about the evidence that may still be needed?

Select the answer that best reflects your current situation.

Is there any information that does not fit your current explanation or points in a different direction?

If none comes to mind, you may leave this blank.

6 — THE QUESTION

Bring the inquiry to its most consequential question.

What question about your organization now deserves evidence rather than another assumption?

Think about the corporate decision you described, your current explanation, what you believe the buyer needs to believe, and the evidence presently available.

Is there a decision or investment you are considering because of the situation you've described?

Examples might include adding capacity, hiring, certification or compliance work, changing systems or processes, changing pricing, developing partnerships, changing sales/marketing activity, or pursuing a different opportunity.