Up until this point in the process, all of our work has diverged into multiple options. Now, we will begin to converge toward the best solution to our problem. We will take our robust list of potential solutions and then shorten it using a couple of reducing strategies. After that, we will weigh the pros and cons of the short list of finalists and make a choice. All of our work has been designed to get us to this moment.

Need to know: There are often trade-offs between various options, with drawbacks to every potential solution. We are looking for the “optimal choice” because, practically speaking, the ideal choice is so elusive and, often, expensive. The way forward is probably going to look like the rough process described below.

Why it matters: This is your best chance to evaluate all the information available to you to ensure that your decision is the best you can make, given what you know at the time. It is helpful to compare your short-list options to the following detailed criteria.