Why don't ordinary pros and cons lists work?

Because they count arguments instead of weighing them. Seven weak pros visually beat two serious cons, even when the reverse is true. On top of that, both columns come out of the same head in the same mood, so the list mostly confirms the leaning you started with. Without weighting and a time horizon it's decoration.

What are second-order effects?

The consequences of the consequences. First order: we ship faster. Second order: we accumulate technical debt that costs us speed six months out. The question that surfaces them is simply "and then what?" — asked twice in a row. Most bad decisions are perfectly sound at the first level.

How do I account for opportunity cost?

Write down, for each option, what won't happen because of it. Every choice consumes the same limited capacity, so the useful question is never "is this good?" but "is this better than what we'd otherwise do?". An option with no opportunity cost attached always looks stronger than it is.

What if I've already made up my mind?

Run the reversal: write the strongest possible version of the opposing case — not the version that's easy to knock down. If that's hard, or the arguments come out thin, you never actually examined the alternative. It's not a reason to switch. It does mean you now know what you're walking into.

All reflection methods

Pros/Cons Analysis

Most people make pros/cons lists that miss the real decision factors. This framework forces you to think about second-order effects, opportunity costs, and how each option plays out 6-12 months later.

Strategic decisions
Long-term impact
Second-order effects

What is a pros and cons analysis?

A pros and cons analysis compares viable courses of action through their advantages, disadvantages, downstream effects, and opportunity costs. What matters is not the number of arguments but their significance for the decision.

Define the options
State at least two realistic alternatives that differ in a meaningful way.
Capture the advantages
List the immediate and longer-term benefits of each option.
Examine the disadvantages
Consider risks, downstream effects, hidden costs, and what cannot be pursued because of each option.
Test strategic fit
Assess how well each option supports longer-term goals, priorities, and constraints.
Involve stakeholders
Identify who holds relevant facts, makes the decision, or must support its implementation.

Pros and cons in a concrete example

An illustrative comparison for deciding whether to build a reporting platform in-house or buy a SaaS product:

Options
Build an internal platform or license an established SaaS product.
Advantages
An internal build offers full control; SaaS could be operational within eight weeks and would be maintained by the vendor.
Disadvantages
Building internally ties up two engineers for nine months and delays the onboarding project; SaaS limits customization and creates vendor dependency.
Strategic fit
SaaS supports the current priority of activating customers faster; an internal build strengthens long-term platform independence.
Stakeholders
Engineering validates effort, Security and Legal review data handling, Customer Success clarifies needs, and Finance checks the budget.

The analysis does not produce an automatic winner. It reveals which few arguments truly drive the decision and which assumptions still need validation.

When this method helps

Use for decisions that will significantly impact your team's direction, when you need to justify your choice to leadership, or when the "obvious" choice feels wrong but you can't articulate why.

Limits and when to pause

A list does not show probability, relative importance or dependencies by itself. Use another method when options need weighted comparison or evidence is highly uncertain.

Where Reflacto uses this method

Choose the situation you want to reflect on:

Key benefits

Can surface hidden costs and unexpected benefits
Prompts you to consider how each option aligns with long-term strategy
Identifies which stakeholders will be affected and need to be consulted
Creates a clear record of your reasoning for future reference

Questions Reflacto asks

Reflacto turns the method into these concrete reflection questions:

1What are the viable options you're considering?
2What are the key advantages or potential upsides of each option?
3What are the risks, costs, or downsides of each option?
4How well does each option align with long-term strategic goals, product direction, or company mission?
5Who are the critical stakeholders for each option, and what input or buy-in do you need from them?

Common questions about pros and cons analysis

Why don't ordinary pros and cons lists work?: Because they count arguments instead of weighing them. Seven weak pros visually beat two serious cons, even when the reverse is true. On top of that, both columns come out of the same head in the same mood, so the list mostly confirms the leaning you started with. Without weighting and a time horizon it's decoration.
What are second-order effects?: The consequences of the consequences. First order: we ship faster. Second order: we accumulate technical debt that costs us speed six months out. The question that surfaces them is simply "and then what?" — asked twice in a row. Most bad decisions are perfectly sound at the first level.
How do I account for opportunity cost?: Write down, for each option, what won't happen because of it. Every choice consumes the same limited capacity, so the useful question is never "is this good?" but "is this better than what we'd otherwise do?". An option with no opportunity cost attached always looks stronger than it is.
What if I've already made up my mind?: Run the reversal: write the strongest possible version of the opposing case — not the version that's easy to knock down. If that's hard, or the arguments come out thin, you never actually examined the alternative. It's not a reason to switch. It does mean you now know what you're walking into.

Origin and Reflacto's adaptation

The pros-and-cons list has no single owner, but its documented origin is a 1772 letter from Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Priestley describing a method Franklin called “moral or prudential algebra.”

Also known as: pros and cons list, Franklin’s moral algebra

What Reflacto changed

Franklin weighed reasons for and against on a single page. Reflacto adds two questions his letter does not ask: how each option aligns with longer-term goals, and which stakeholders need input or buy-in before the decision is final.

Primary sources and further reading

Editorially reviewed by Daniel Schmeiß

Last substantive review: August 23, 2026

Related reflection methods

Compare another method that approaches a similar situation from a different angle.

Compare all methods

What is a pros and cons analysis?

Define the options

Capture the advantages

Examine the disadvantages

Test strategic fit

Involve stakeholders