Opportunity Framing
Set the project up to pass its next decision gate - with clarity, alignment, and governance.
A structured, decision-focused process that prepares leadership teams, aligns stakeholders, and establishes fit-for-purpose governance - before major commitments are made.
What Opportunity Framing Is
Opportunity Framing is not a one-off workshop.
It is a decision-critical engagement that combines:
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structured preparation
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a facilitated framing workshop
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and practical project governance setup
So leadership teams can make confident, aligned decisions at their next gate.
It is designed for:
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complex, capital projects
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high uncertainty
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multiple stakeholders
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unclear or contested problem definitions
How Opportunity Framing Works
Opportunity Framing is delivered through our PATH Framework. PATH is our structured, four-step framework used to guide opportunity framing - from preparation through decision-ready outcomes. It ensures teams don’t jump to solutions, miss risks, or move forward without alignment and governance.
P - Prepare (Before the Workshop):
We prepare the project and the people before anyone enters the room.
This includes:
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Clarifying the decision context and constraints
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Identifying the right stakeholders and decision-makers
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Defining the key questions the project must answer
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Gathering critical inputs, assumptions, and data
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Training workshop participants in the framing process
This step ensures the workshop is focused, relevant, and decision-driven, not exploratory or abstract.
A - Analyse the Current State (Workshop):
In the first part of the workshop, we align the team on reality.
Together, we:
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Assess the current situation, issues, and questions
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Identify risks, uncertainties, and givens
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Clarify the value drivers and opportunity statement
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Define project boundaries
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Surface differing perspectives early - constructively
This creates a shared understanding of the problem before jumping to solutions.
T - Target the Future (Workshop)
Next, the team aligns on where they are going and how success will be judged.
This includes:
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Defining what success is, critical success factors and measures of success
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Clarifying decision hierarchy and ownership
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Developing and evaluating viable options
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Testing options against value drivers, risk, and strategy
This is where alignment replaces opinion and trade-offs become visible.
H - Handle the Transition (Workshop + After):
Finally, we translate alignment into actions and governance.
This step:
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Builds a clear project roadmap with phases and decision gates
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Defines decisions, key activities, key deliverables required at the next gate
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Map the stakeholders based on the level of influence and interest and identify engagement strategies
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Clarifies roles, accountabilities, and assurance needs
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Establishes fit-for-purpose governance for the project
This ensures the project leaves the framing decision-ready, not just inspired.
Outcomes You Can Expect
By using PATH, Opportunity Framing:
✔ Prepares leadership teams for critical decisions
✔ Aligns stakeholders before major commitments
✔ Establishes project-level governance early - when change is still affordable
✔ Sets the initiative up to confidently pass its next decision gate
Opportunity Framing establishes project-level governance early, when decisions are still flexible and value can be identified..
Additional Resources
