Define Coverage First, Then Time-Box Within Questions
A pure time budget stops you mid-research on whatever you happened to look at — that’s availability bias with a timer. The fix: define WHAT must be covered first, then constrain HOW LONG on each question.
Why Pure Clock Fails
| Problem | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Availability bias | Whatever you happened to research becomes your basis |
| Rabbit holes | Spend all time on one interesting tangent |
| Coverage gaps | Miss entire dimensions because time ran out |
| Bias determines focus | Your existing beliefs guide what you look at |
The clock assumes you’ll naturally cover important stuff first. You won’t. You’ll cover interesting stuff, familiar stuff, or anxiety-inducing stuff.
The Three-Layer Structure
| Layer | What It Constrains | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage checklist | WHAT you must research | Prevents bias in question selection |
| Per-question clock | HOW LONG on each question | Prevents rabbit holes |
| Specific Question Test | WHEN to add scope | Prevents disguised rabbit holes |
Step 1: Define Coverage (Before Any Research)
Use a pre-built framework so YOU don’t select questions based on your biases.
Minimum Viable Coverage (Q3 decisions):
| Question | What It Ensures |
|---|---|
| What are ALL the options? | Option space isn’t artificially narrow |
| What’s the worst realistic outcome of each? | Downside understood |
| What’s the best realistic outcome of each? | Upside understood |
| What would make me change my mind? | Falsifiability exists |
| What do I not know that I need to? | Known unknowns surfaced |
Or adapt Seven Lenses:
| Lens | Coverage Question |
|---|---|
| Mechanism | How does each option actually work? |
| Actors | Who wins/loses with each option? |
| Conditions | What makes each option succeed/fail? |
| Trade-offs | What am I giving up with each? |
| Scope | When would each option be wrong? |
Pick 3-5 most relevant. These are your MUST-ANSWER list.
Step 2: Time-Box Per Question
| Complexity | Per-Question Budget |
|---|---|
| Low | 15 min |
| High | 45 min |
When per-question clock hits:
- If answered → move to next question
- If unanswered → write “Unknown — couldn’t resolve in allocated time” and move on
“Unknown” is a valid answer. It’s data about the limits of available information.
Step 3: Handle Discoveries Mid-Research
When research surfaces something new, apply The Specific Question Test:
“Can I articulate a SPECIFIC new question that MUST be answered, AND can I explain HOW its answer would change my decision?”
| If YES | If NO |
|---|---|
| Add to coverage list with its own time allocation | Note for future, continue current coverage |
Example:
“I’m researching GIC rates and stumbled onto CDIC insurance limits.”
- Specific question: “Does my total exceed CDIC coverage?”
- How it changes decision: “If yes, need to split across institutions.”
- Verdict: Valid addition.
vs.
“I found an interesting article about monetary policy.”
- Specific question: Can’t articulate one for THIS decision.
- Verdict: Rabbit hole. Bookmark, move on.
Step 4: Decision Point
Coverage complete = all questions have an answer (including “Unknown”).
Then and only then: Decide.
The decision isn’t “I researched for 2 hours.” It’s “I covered these 5 dimensions, here’s what I found, here’s what I couldn’t resolve, now I decide.”
The Template
COVERAGE CHECKLIST
□ Question 1: _________________ [15/45 min budget]
□ Question 2: _________________ [15/45 min budget]
□ Question 3: _________________ [15/45 min budget]
□ Question 4: _________________ [15/45 min budget]
□ Question 5: _________________ [15/45 min budget]
ADDED QUESTIONS (passed Specific Question Test)
□ _________________ [allocated time: ___]
DECISION POINT
All boxes checked = decide
Common Trap
Generating coverage questions after you’ve started researching. The questions must be set BEFORE research begins, using an external framework. Otherwise you’ll generate questions that match what you’ve already found.
North: Where this comes from
- Counter-Weight Rules by Default Type (the rules this implements)
- Seven Lenses Applied to Decision Options (source for coverage questions)
East: What opposes this?
- Pure Time Budget (clock without coverage structure)
- Exploratory Research (following interest without constraint)
South: Where this leads
- The Specific Question Test (handling mid-research discoveries)
- Decisions with explicit coverage documentation
West: What’s similar?
- Checklist Manifesto (pre-defined coverage ensures nothing missed)
- MECE Analysis (mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive)
- Sprint Planning (scope before time allocation)