No. 7 · Decisions · Systems
Pro-Con List
Getting reasons onto paper, and weighing them, beats juggling them in your head.
In the Almanac
“Franklin’s prudential algebra”, 1772 · “Kepner-Tregoe”, 1958
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
Get the AlmanacListen · Watch
Questions
What is Pro-Con List?
A pro-con list puts the arguments for and against a decision on paper so you can see them all at once. Benjamin Franklin's version, his moral or prudential algebra, added two upgrades: collect reasons over several days, and strike out items of equal weight.
How do you use Pro-Con List?
To use it, give big decisions time, score items instead of counting them, and share lists with the people a choice affects. Watch for bias and gut feelings the list misses. Treat it as a conversation, not a verdict.
When does Pro-Con List matter?
Pro-Con List is one of the 35 mental models for decisions, the situations where you ask: Which way should I go? Within that, it belongs to “Weighing the options”, alongside A/B Testing, Back-of-the-Envelope Calculation and Cost-Benefit Analysis.
What is an example of Pro-Con List?
Two stories show it at work: Franklin’s prudential algebra (1772) and Kepner-Tregoe (1958). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Pro-Con List?
Cost-Benefit Analysis, Confirmation Bias and Devil’s Advocate Position. Pro-Con List itself comes from systems.