PROACT Framework – Decision-Making Clarity

Purpose: To make rational, unbiased product decisions.

What It Is

PROACT stands for Problem, Objectives, Alternatives, Consequences, Trade-offs. It helps product managers make structured choices when multiple paths exist.

When To Use It

Deciding between building vs. buying a feature
Prioritizing roadmap items
Evaluating new market opportunities

How It Works

Problem

Define the real issue to solve.

Objectives

Clarify what success looks like.

Alternatives

Identify possible options.

Consequences

List potential outcomes for each alternative.

Trade-offs

Evaluate what you gain or lose with each choice.

Example: Fintech Product Integration

Problem: Should we build our own payment gateway or integrate Stripe?

Objectives: Faster go-live, reliability, and scalability.

Alternatives: Build in-house / Partner with Stripe / Hybrid solution.

Consequences: In-house = control but longer time; Stripe = speed but fees.

Trade-offs: Choose Stripe to launch early, revisit in-house build after scale.