by Tyler de la Plaine, PhD, CPM
Making complex, high-stakes decisions can be intimidating—especially when outcomes are uncertain and the pressure is intense. In military operations, particularly during wartime, timely and accurate decisions can determine survival. Similarly, in the world of business, the ability to make swift and informed decisions often marks the difference between success and failure.
To support business owners and organizational leaders in navigating these challenges, Dr. de la Plaine developed a robust decision-making and strategic planning framework called STEAME—Strategic Tactics for Envisioning, Actualizing, Measuring, and Evaluating. STEAME is a Dynamic Actualization Decision Model (DADM) using a comprehensive, 10-step process designed to help leaders make high-impact decisions, craft strategic plans, and implement them effectively.
The STEAME model guides users through the full decision-making and execution 10-step lifecycle:
1. Determine and Specify – Clearly define the issue, goal, or challenge.
2. Research – Gather relevant data and contextual information.
3. Analyze – Examine the data using structured qualitative and quantitative methods.
4. Assess – Evaluate the implications and connections within the findings.
5. Strategize – Design a targeted, actionable plan aligned with organizational goals.
6. Envision – Mentally simulate success and foster stakeholder alignment.
7. Actualize – Implement the plan using effective leadership and communication.
8. Measure – Monitor progress using defined metrics and feedback tools.
9. Evaluate – Interpret results and assess the plan’s overall effectiveness.
10. Adjust – Refine the strategy based on outcomes, lessons, and emerging needs.
With STEAME, leaders are equipped to make informed, confident decisions that drive meaningful, measurable outcomes—even in the most uncertain environments.
Step Three Analyze the data
Conduct a thorough analysis of the collected data by integrating both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Apply a balanced combination of deductive reasoning (starting from general theories or hypotheses to examine specific data points) and inductive reasoning (deriving broader insights and patterns from specific observations), along with informed intuition based on contextual knowledge and experiential understanding. This multifaceted analytical approach allows for a richer, more nuanced understanding of the information.
To ensure precision, validity, and depth, utilize rigorous research methodologies tailored to the nature of the data and research goals. Leverage advanced software tools such as Dedoose, NVivo (for qualitative coding and thematic analysis), SPSS, and SAS (for statistical analysis and modeling) to manage, visualize, and interpret complex datasets effectively. These tools not only enhance accuracy and transparency but also support cross-referencing between qualitative insights and quantitative trends.
Equally essential is the role of human reasoning and interpretation. Analysts should engage in critical thinking and reflective judgment to extract the “story” embedded within the data—identifying subtle themes, correlations, contradictions, and emergent patterns that automated tools may overlook. The use of ecologically valid frameworks—those that account for real-world conditions and organizational context—ensures that findings are relevant and actionable.
By combining analytical rigor with intuitive insight, this integrated approach enables decision-makers to derive credible, holistic conclusions that inform sound strategies, support innovation, and guide responsible, data-driven decisions.
Tyler de la Plaine, PhD, CPM
Founder and Principle Consultant
Thrive Venture Consulting: bringing people and ideas together