Framework 04 / 12
Compare initiatives by contribution, cost and feasibility
Which initiatives deserve the available resources, in what order and under which conditions?
Decision
Fund, defer, test or stop each initiative.
Trade off a portfolio rather than piling up actions with no stopping rule. This step produces reviewable commitments and flags information that remains too fragile to justify a trade-off.
01Ranked portfolio
02Sensitivity analysis
03Stop-doing list
04Stage gates
Original chart · SQ-33
Identify the portfolio’s efficient frontier
An initiative is efficient when no other option delivers more contribution for lower cost and workload.
Original comparison of seven initiatives normalised by expected contribution and resources consumed.
- 01Normalise
Convert cost and workload into one resource index.
- 02Position
Compare expected contribution with the resource index.
- 03Eliminate
Identify initiatives dominated by a stronger option.
- 04Compose
Build the constrained portfolio on the frontier.
Relative contribution of efficient initiatives
Search, conversion, CRM and resized ABM form the frontier. The event is dominated.
| Initiative | Resource index | Contribution / 100 | Dominated | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conversion | 18 | 62 | No | Fund |
| CRM | 32 | 69 | No | Fund |
| Search | 48 | 78 | No | Fund |
| Content | 52 | 64 | Yes, by Search | Keep targeted |
| ABM: 15 accounts | 67 | 88 | No | Conditional funding |
| Partners | 70 | 74 | Yes, by ABM | Pilot |
| Event | 82 | 58 | Yes | Defer |
01The event consumes more resources for less contribution than Search.
02ABM remains efficient only after being reduced to 15 accounts.
03The frontier does not decide alone: risk, dependencies and diversification still require a trade-off.
Fictitious data. The resource index combines cost and workload using the weighting documented in the portfolio.
Minimum controls
What the plan must make visible.
Status, evidence, owner and next review date.
Status, evidence, owner and next review date.
Status, evidence, owner and next review date.
Status, evidence, owner and next review date.
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