Use this programme when a founder must choose whether to pivot, accept a financing offer, hire a senior leader, enter a market, or reduce spend. The objective is a defensible decision process within the runway and confidentiality constraints—not a guaranteed correct answer. Keep a decision owner, an explicit stop date and one shared source of truth.
Indicative project timings below are planning examples, not market averages. A fast business decision can be triaged in a few days; customer discovery or a funding negotiation can take longer. Cost is the internal time actually used plus any approved specialist quotes; there is no one-size-fits-all budget.