TAKE A QUIZ

The CLEAR filter

Most teams don’t struggle with tools.
They struggle with deciding what to use.

I design decision systems that solve that problem.
The CLEAR Filter is one of them to evaluate whether a tool deserves a place in your workflow.

Score your tool

Criteria Question Score (1–5)
Contribution Does this improve decision quality or output?
Longevity Will this still matter in 6 months?
Effort What is the real cost to integrate and maintain?
Alignment Does this fit your workflow and value creation?
Reduction Does it simplify or add complexity?

Most tools fail not because they are bad.
They fail because they were never selected properly.

Decision Rules

20-25

ADOPT

This is a strong fit. It improves decision quality, aligns with your workflow, and does not add unnecessary complexity.

15-19

TEST CAREFULLY

There is potential. Run a focused test with a clear objective. If it doesn’t prove value quickly, remove it.

BELOW 15

INGORE

This does not justify the cost of attention or integration. It may look impressive, but it does not meaningfully improve your system.

If you don’t define your filter, the feed becomes your filter.

Used in leadership and strategy workshops to help teams move from exploration to decision.

Applying the CLEAR Filter

Recently I evaluated an AI workflow that was getting a lot of attention.

Score breakdown

  • Contribution: 3
  • Longevity: 2
  • Effort: 2
  • Alignment: 3
  • Reduction: 1

 

Total: 11 → Ignore

Decision

This tool was impressive on the surface, but it failed the filter.

  • Integration effort was high
  • Long-term relevance was unclear
  • It added complexity instead of reducing it

Insight

“This is exactly where most teams make the wrong decision.

This is exactly where poor decisions enter the system.”

The goal is not to test everything. It’s to prevent the wrong things from entering your workflow.

Save this and apply it to your next decision.

This takes 30 seconds once. The value comes when you apply it repeatedly.

Want to apply this with your team?

Let’s map your decision system.

Let’s Make It Personal!

Before we hand over the good stuff, tell us a little about yourself—this won’t take long, promise.

READY FOR WORKSHOP