The F.I.T.T.S. Framework: A Gray Breakthroughs Decision Analysis Exercise

As a business or nonprofit leader, part of the job description should be "idea-generator," because your genius brain never stops innovating, ideating, and brainstorming. It can be so challenging to know which bold ideas are the right ones to pursue, especially when there are so many factors at play. Every idea comes with a million questions.

The thing that differentiates a good idea from a great one is if it’s actually worth your time, energy, and resources to pursue. You have to take that 30-thousand-foot view of something and determine if it’s a good idea or if it will just leave you frustrated and anxious about the potential unintended consequences of pursuing something you shouldn’t have.

Most people would turn to a weighted pro/con list, but Carrie created “The F.I.T.T.S Framework” which is specifically designed for business decision-making.

You may be asking yourself “But what is The F.I.T.T.S Framework?”

It’s a decision analysis exercise where each question in the following categories (feasibility, impact, time, total cost, and sustainability) is worth 1 point. After considering the questions (that we’ve bolded), you add your points to find your total score. Now let’s jump in!

Feasibility

This answers the question “Can we do it?” So, you have you to examine the potential through the lens of your resources (time, budget, and staff), your ability to access training and support, and your regulatory compliance to see if it will be a good fit for your organization. 

Impact

This answers “Will it make a difference?” You want to take a look at if it’s helping your clients, your staff, or your business growth – ideally, all three. It can be easy to get caught up in a fun new idea, but if your clients don't care about it, your staff will be overwhelmed, and it doesn't help with business growth – it might be worth reassessing. Alternatively, it might help in these areas! You won’t know until you take a look!

Time

But... “How long will it take?” We ask this question all the time to determine if something is worth it. “How long is the drive?”, “What are the start and end times?”, “Put it in the oven for how long?” In the business and nonprofit world, you want to look specifically at whether you can implement it in a reasonable timeframe and if implementation will disrupt current operations.

Total Cost

Here’s the kicker – “Is it worth the investment?” This one can be a toughie, you always want it to be worth the investment. The solution is to take the emotion out of it and just run the numbers. Take a look at the upfront costs, the ongoing costs, and the ROI potential. The data will give you an objective source to determine how to proceed.

Sustainability

Thinking ahead to the future gets you to ask “Can we maintain this long-term?” Your idea is a seed that you want to be able to grow and adapt. Make sure you look at its scalability, if staff will embrace this change, and if it will provide long-term benefits. You want the time, energy, and resources you put in now to create a legacy in the future.

Now that you’ve zoomed in on each part, it’s time for a 30-thousand-foot view. The F.I.T.T.S Framework uses a 14-point score card to make a decision. If your score is above a 10, that indicates feasibility, positive impact, reasonable time investment, acceptable costs, and sustainability. Keep going with your idea, and get excited about the possibilities! If your score is below a 10, that indicates significant concerns in multiple areas. It may be wise to reconsider or explore alternative solutions. Either way, looking at your ideas or possible new projects with this objective framework can help make sure you’re getting off to a good start.

Fill out this form to get the F.I.T.T.S Framework as a guided checklist and to receive more info like this!