Frameworks
Analysis Frameworks
Axon helps you think systematically by applying proven analytical lenses to your documents and findings. Each framework shapes how the AI reads, extracts, and synthesizes intelligence — turning raw information into structured insight, whether you are doing strategic planning, qualitative research, product analysis, or meeting synthesis.
Why Frameworks Matter
Effective analysis rests on structured thinking. Axon strengthens three essential skills across any analytical discipline:
- Anticipate — Detect patterns, shifts, and emerging signals before others. Axon ingests diverse artifacts and surfaces cross-document patterns you might miss when reading documents one at a time.
- Challenge — Question prevailing assumptions and encourage different perspectives. Every framework includes a tensions lens that forces the AI to identify contradictions and test assumptions in your data.
- Interpret — Synthesize complex information and find meaningful patterns. Frameworks give the AI a structured vocabulary for connecting dots across documents, so the synthesis goes deeper than a generic summary.
By applying a framework, you are not just organizing information — you are training a specific mode of analytical thinking. The framework determines which findings are extracted, how they are categorized, and how the final synthesis narrative is structured.
How Frameworks Shape Axon
When you select a framework for a project, it influences every stage of the pipeline:
- Artifact ingestion — Summaries are written through the framework lens, and findings are categorized using framework-specific types instead of generic categories.
- Synthesis — The AI organizes cross-document intelligence into framework components, identifies tensions between them, and traces second-order consequences.
- Project Chat — The Advisor understands which framework you are using and frames answers accordingly.
Available Frameworks
Strategic Planning
SOAR
Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results
A strengths-based framework for strategic growth planning. Unlike deficit-focused models, SOAR starts from what is already working and builds toward an aspirational future state. It is well suited to initiatives where the goal is to define a positive vision, rally stakeholders, and identify measurable outcomes.
Best for
Growth strategy, organizational transformation, vision-setting, and initiatives where you want to build forward from existing strengths rather than fix weaknesses.
SWOT
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
The most widely used strategic planning framework. SWOT maps internal factors (what you control) against external factors (what you must respond to), giving a balanced view of both capabilities and vulnerabilities.
Best for
Competitive positioning, strategic audits, risk assessment, and situations where you need an honest view of both what is working and what is not.
Three Horizons
Horizon 1 (Core), Horizon 2 (Emerging), Horizon 3 (Future Vision)
A time-based framework that separates findings by strategic horizon. Horizon 1 covers current operations and incremental improvements. Horizon 2 captures emerging ventures and scaling experiments. Horizon 3 holds visionary, transformative ideas.
Best for
Innovation portfolio management, resource allocation across time horizons, and balancing operational execution with long-term transformation.
Porter's Five Forces
Competitive Rivalry, Supplier Power, Buyer Power, Threat of Substitutes, Threat of New Entrants
An industry structure framework that analyzes the five competitive forces determining market profitability. It maps where power and profit sit in your industry.
Best for
Market entry analysis, competitive strategy, industry assessment, and understanding the structural economics of your competitive landscape.
PESTLE
Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental
A macro-environmental scanning framework that categorizes external forces shaping your operating environment. PESTLE helps you systematically map the landscape of factors outside your control that could impact strategy, operations, or market position.
Best for
Market entry analysis, regulatory impact assessment, scenario planning, and understanding external forces that shape your operating environment.
Research & Discovery
Thematic Analysis
Codes, Patterns, Themes, Narrative
A qualitative research framework for identifying recurring patterns across unstructured data. The AI extracts initial codes from your documents, groups them into patterns, elevates patterns into themes, and weaves themes into a cohesive narrative — mirroring the established qualitative research methodology.
Best for
Interview transcripts, user research notes, survey open-ends, ethnographic observations, and any project where you need to find patterns in qualitative data.
Product & Design
PRD Analysis
Problem Statement, Proposed Solution, Requirements, Success Metrics, Risks
A product requirements framework for systematically breaking down internal PRDs, feature specs, and design documents. The AI extracts problems being solved, proposed solutions, concrete requirements, measurable success criteria, and implementation risks.
Best for
Internal PRDs, feature specifications, design documents, technical proposals, and cross-team alignment on product direction.
Meeting & Communication
Action Items & Decisions
Decisions Made, Action Items, Open Questions, Follow-ups
A meeting synthesis framework that extracts the four things people actually need from meeting notes: what was decided, what needs to happen next, what remains unresolved, and what needs follow-up. Ideal for turning raw meeting transcripts into actionable output.
Best for
Meeting notes, workshop outputs, brainstorm logs, steering committee minutes, and any situation where you need to distill discussions into next steps.
Choosing the Right Framework
There is no single "best" framework — the right choice depends on the question you are trying to answer:
- Asking "Where should we grow?" — try SOAR to build from strengths toward an aspirational future.
- Asking "Where are we vulnerable?" — try SWOT to surface weaknesses and external threats alongside strengths.
- Asking "How should we allocate resources across time?" — try Three Horizons to separate what is urgent from what is transformative.
- Asking "How attractive is this market?" — try Porter's Five Forces to map the competitive dynamics shaping profitability.
- Asking "What external forces affect us?" — try PESTLE to scan the macro-environment systematically.
- Asking "What themes emerge from our interviews?" — try Thematic Analysis to find patterns in qualitative data.
- Asking "Are our PRDs aligned and complete?" — try PRD Analysis to break down product documents systematically.
- Asking "What did we decide and what happens next?" — try Action Items & Decisions to distill meeting notes into outcomes.
You can change a project's framework at any time and reprocess existing artifacts to see your documents through a different analytical lens.