Ladder of questions in analysis

May 12, 2025 decision intelligence model thinking logic

A ladder of questions in analysis:

1. Which question should we ask to address a decision or a problem?
2. Which model should we choose to answer the question?
3. Which assumptions must hold for the model to be valid, and do they hold?
4. What data do we need to apply the model?
5. What conclusions can we draw after applying the model?

From my personal experience, people often skip steps 1 and 3, which can lead to bad decisions or mediocre solutions.

You probably read this in a statistical or data-analysis context. But I believe the framework applies more broadly.

In statistics, answering a wrong question is sometimes called a Type III error. I've already mentioned it in a blog post.

© Evgeny Ivanov 2025