The Elegant Pitch

12

Prove and Disprove Hypotheses

Up to this point in the structured thought process, you’ve had little or no data. You’ve been operating purely on hypotheses. Once you’ve identified the analyses to conduct to prove your case, it’s time to run the numbers. Those analyses will either prove or disprove your hypotheses. Many times, the analysis will prove the hypotheses in your architecture. Sometimes analysis will disprove them. When you conduct analysis, be open to disproving your initial hypotheses. The structured thought process is about getting to the right answer, not about proving your initial hypotheses were correct. Analytical rigor is required if you want to deliver a pitch that will convince even your most skeptical critics.

If your hypotheses ...