issue-tree-generator

Productivity

Generate and validate issue trees for structured problem solving with MECE validation

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Issue Tree Generator

Overview

The Issue Tree Generator skill provides specialized capabilities for creating and validating issue trees used in structured problem solving. This skill enables hypothesis-driven analysis through proper decomposition of complex problems, MECE validation, hypothesis tracking, and synthesis of findings.

Capabilities

Issue Tree Creation

Create issue trees from problem statements
Decompose complex problems into sub-issues
Generate multiple levels of decomposition
Apply standard issue tree frameworks

MECE Structure Validation

Validate MECE structure (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive)
Identify overlapping branches
Detect missing branches
Score MECE compliance

Hypothesis Tree Generation

Generate hypothesis trees from issue trees
Convert issues into testable hypotheses
Create null and alternative hypotheses
Link hypotheses to data requirements

Hypothesis Testing Tracking

Track hypothesis testing progress
Record test results and evidence
Update hypothesis status (proved/disproved/inconclusive)
Calculate testing completion percentage

Evidence Linking

Link evidence to hypotheses
Document evidence sources
Rate evidence strength
Track evidence gaps

Synthesis Generation

Generate synthesis from proved/disproved hypotheses
Build argument chains from evidence
Create recommendation frameworks
Develop "so what" statements

Visual Tree Export

Export to visual tree diagrams
Generate Markdown tree structures
Create hierarchical outlines
Support multiple visualization formats

Usage

Create Issue Tree

Create an issue tree for this problem:
[Problem statement]

Decompose to at least 3 levels with MECE validation.

Validate MECE

Validate the MECE structure of this issue tree:
[Issue tree structure]

Identify overlaps and gaps.

Generate Hypotheses

Generate hypotheses from this issue tree:
[Issue tree structure]

Create testable hypotheses with data requirements.

Synthesize Findings

Synthesize findings from these hypothesis test results:
[Hypothesis results with evidence]

Build recommendations from proved hypotheses.

Process Integration

This skill integrates with the following business analysis processes:

hypothesis-driven-analysis.js - Core hypothesis work
consulting-engagement-planning.js - Problem structuring
process-gap-analysis.js - Root cause decomposition
business-case-development.js - Business problem analysis

Dependencies

Tree data structures
MECE validation algorithms
Visualization libraries
Synthesis templates

Issue Tree Reference

Issue Tree Structure

Problem Statement
├── Issue 1
│   ├── Sub-issue 1.1
│   │   ├── Sub-sub-issue 1.1.1
│   │   └── Sub-sub-issue 1.1.2
│   └── Sub-issue 1.2
├── Issue 2
│   ├── Sub-issue 2.1
│   └── Sub-issue 2.2
└── Issue 3
    ├── Sub-issue 3.1
    └── Sub-issue 3.2

Standard Decomposition Frameworks

Revenue Growth Tree

How to grow revenue?
├── Increase volume
│   ├── Acquire new customers
│   └── Increase purchase frequency
└── Increase price
    ├── Raise unit prices
    └── Improve mix to premium

Profitability Tree

How to improve profitability?
├── Increase revenue
│   ├── Volume
│   └── Price
└── Decrease costs
    ├── Fixed costs
    └── Variable costs

Market Entry Tree

Should we enter market X?
├── Is the market attractive?
│   ├── Size and growth
│   └── Competitive dynamics
├── Can we win?
│   ├── Our capabilities
│   └── Competitive advantage
└── Is it worth it?
    ├── Financial returns
    └── Strategic fit

Hypothesis Status Tracking

Status	Definition
Untested	Hypothesis identified, not yet tested
In Progress	Data collection/analysis underway
Proved	Evidence supports hypothesis
Disproved	Evidence refutes hypothesis
Inconclusive	Insufficient evidence either way

Evidence Strength Ratings

Rating	Description
Strong	Multiple reliable sources, quantitative data
Moderate	Some reliable sources, mixed data
Weak	Limited sources, primarily qualitative
Anecdotal	Single source, opinion-based

MECE Validation Checklist

Each branch addresses a distinct aspect
No overlap in definitions between branches
All possibilities are covered
Branches are at consistent level of detail
Same logic applies at each level

Synthesis Framework

What we found: Key findings from analysis
So what: Implications of findings
Now what: Recommended actions