Implementation and Follow-Through
What this domain tests
A decision is not complete until it is executed and reviewed. Candidates must understand implementation planning (who does what, by when, with what resources), accountability, milestones and leading indicators, and decision review (comparing outcomes with expectations to learn).
Know the difference between leading indicators (early signals that predict outcomes) and lagging indicators (results after the fact). Know pre-commitment (deciding in advance what would trigger a change of course) and decision logs (recording the reasoning, assumptions, and expected outcomes so the review is honest).
Know that reviewing outcomes without reviewing the reasoning reinforces outcome bias: a lucky result can validate a bad process.
Traps in questions
- Plan without owner: a decision with no named accountable person rarely gets executed.
- Lagging-only metrics: waiting for final results before correcting course.
- No tripwires: no predefined condition for reversing the decision, so escalation continues.
- Outcome-only review: praising or blaming results without examining the process.
Worked example
A firm approves a new pricing model. Implementation plan: owner (pricing lead), milestones at 30, 60, and 90 days, leading indicators (quote acceptance rate, sales-cycle length), and a tripwire - if acceptance falls below 40% at day 60, revert. A decision log records the expected 10% margin gain and the assumptions behind it. At review, the team compares assumptions with what happened, not just the final number, so it learns whether the reasoning or the luck drove the result.
Rule of thumb
Every decision needs an owner, a date, a leading indicator, and a tripwire. If any is missing, the implementation plan is incomplete.