Overview
A reusable flow for consumer decisions: scope → shortlist → evaluate → choose → validate.
Theoretical basis (zh-aligned)
- T4 Selection efficacy: /en/wiki/theorem-4-selection-efficacy
- T2 Cognitive budget: /en/wiki/theorem-2-cognitive-budget
The 7-step decision flow
Need trigger — Need verification — Budget allocation — Evidence collection — Multi-dimensional evaluation — Comparative decision — Post-purchase validation
Step-by-step details
1) Need trigger
- record the trigger (problem, desire, social cue),
- note emotional state,
- assess urgency.
2) Need verification
- cooling-off test,
- historical usage check,
- make needs explicit (M1 artifact).
3) Budget allocation
- cognitive budget (time/effort),
- money budget,
- reversibility assessment.
4) Evidence collection
- define sources,
- collect by dimension,
- verify reliability.
5) Multi-dimensional evaluation
- apply dimensions,
- set weights,
- score by evidence.
6) Comparative decision
- compare shortlist,
- check satisficing threshold,
- decide.
7) Post-purchase validation
- record experience,
- compute fit/consistency,
- update rules.
Simplification rules (zh-aligned)
| Decision type | Simplification |
|---|---|
| low value + high reversibility | use heuristics (T2.3) |
| repeated decisions | build reusable rules |
| habitual purchases | automate with periodic review |
References
- Payne, J. W., Bettman, J. R., & Johnson, E. J. (1993). The Adaptive Decision Maker. Cambridge University Press.[source]
- Simon, H. A. (1955). A behavioral model of rational choice. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 69(1), 99–18.[source]