The CORE Method
The CORE Method helps you define, compare, and prioritize projects with a small set of explicit inputs. It separates strategic value from financial value, then uses cost, duration, and score calculations to support a decision.
Use CORE when
Use CORE when you need to:
- compare proposed projects on the same basis;
- expose the assumptions behind cost, benefit, effort, and urgency;
- classify a project by strategic and financial value;
- rank projects that have the same classification; or
- record a decision that another person can reproduce.
CORE assesses projects. It does not assign people or calendar dates.
The CORE framework
CORE stands for Confidence, Outcome, Return, and Effort.
| Attribute | Question | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Confidence | Can the project be delivered as described? | Confidence from 1 to 5 |
| Outcome | How strongly does the project support a required result? | Outcome from 1 to 5 |
| Return | Does the project create financial value over 36 months? | 36-month Net Value and Efficiency |
| Effort | What work and capacity does the project require? | Work Days, Required FTE, Wait Time, Duration, and Total Cost |
Use these anchors for Confidence and Outcome. Select the anchor that best matches the evidence. Do not average two anchors.
| Score | Confidence anchor | Outcome anchor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The method or technology is unproven for this scope. Major feasibility questions remain. | The result is a minor improvement with no clear link to a required objective. |
| 2 | Material feasibility questions remain, and there is little evidence from comparable work. | The result is useful, but its link to a required objective is weak. |
| 3 | The project appears feasible, but delivery requires research, testing, or new learning. | The result provides a significant improvement linked to a current objective. |
| 4 | Comparable work has been delivered, and the remaining risks are limited and understood. | The result is material to a current objective or commitment. |
| 5 | The work is routine for this scope, and the delivery risks are known. | Failure to deliver prevents a critical objective or obligation. |
Urgency is a multiplier with three permitted values:
| Urgency | Use when |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | Deferral has no material consequence in the relevant planning period. |
| 1 | The project has no fixed external deadline with a material consequence. |
| 2 | A fixed regulatory, contractual, or other external deadline has a material consequence. |
A project is High Strategic when Outcome is at least 4. It is High Financial when 36-month Net Value is greater than 0.
| High Strategic | High Financial | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Unicorn |
| No | Yes | Cash Cow |
| Yes | No | Strategy |
| No | No | Distraction |
Project Score ranks projects within the same classification. A score greater than 10 is the high-priority target. A score of 10 does not meet that target, and the score does not change the classification.
Required record
Record these fields for each project:
| Field | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Use a clear, unique name. |
| Audience | Enter exactly Internal or External. |
| Description | State the intended result, scope, and important exclusions. |
| Created By | Name the person who created the record. |
| 1 FTE Balanced Cost | Enter a daily cost greater than 0 and declare one currency. |
| Confidence | Enter an integer from 1 to 5 using the Confidence anchors. |
| Outcome | Enter an integer from 1 to 5 using the Outcome anchors. |
| Urgency | Enter exactly 0.5, 1, or 2. |
| Work Days | Enter total effort as a number greater than 0. |
| Required FTE | Enter assigned capacity as a number greater than 0. |
| Wait Time | Enter a number of days greater than or equal to 0. Use 0 when there is no wait. |
| Monthly Benefit | Enter the expected monthly value in the same currency as 1 FTE Balanced Cost. The value must be greater than or equal to 0. |
| Conclusion | State the classification, main evidence, principal uncertainty, and recommended action in a short conclusion. |
Calculate and retain these fields:
Total Cost = Work Days × 1 FTE Balanced Cost
Duration = (Work Days ÷ Required FTE) + Wait Time
Project Score = (Confidence + Outcome) × Urgency
36-month Net Value = (Monthly Benefit × 36) − Total Cost
Efficiency = 36-month Net Value ÷ Work Days
Use the declared currency for Total Cost, Monthly Benefit, 36-month Net Value, and Efficiency. Express Efficiency as currency per work day.
Apply CORE
- Define one project with a clear result, scope, and exclusions.
- Enter every required input. Record the basis for the cost, effort, wait, and monthly benefit estimates.
- Select Confidence, Outcome, and Urgency from their defined values.
- Calculate Total Cost, Duration, Project Score, 36-month Net Value, and Efficiency with the formulas above.
- Mark the project High Strategic when Outcome is at least 4. Mark it High Financial only when 36-month Net Value is greater than 0.
- Use the matrix to assign Unicorn, Cash Cow, Strategy, or Distraction.
- Compare Project Score only with projects in the same classification. Treat scores greater than 10 as the high-priority target.
- Write the Conclusion and retain enough arithmetic and source information for another person to reproduce the result.
Recalculate the record when an input changes. Do not preserve a classification or rank from an older calculation.
Refuse when
Refuse to classify or rank a record when:
- Audience is not exactly
InternalorExternal; - a currency is missing or the two monetary inputs use different currencies;
- a score, multiplier, or numeric input is outside its permitted values;
- the scope is too vague to estimate Work Days;
- the cost or benefit has no stated basis; or
- the recorded outputs do not match the formulas.
Return the record for correction. Do not invent missing values. The only default is Wait Time of 0.
Worked example
This example uses USD. CORE accepts any declared currency when both monetary inputs use it consistently.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Service Report Automation |
| Audience | Internal |
| Description | Create a tool that generates service reports from the existing job register. The project includes report templates, validation, and user instructions. It excludes changes to the source register and historical data cleanup. |
| Created By | Sam Lee |
| 1 FTE Balanced Cost | 900 USD per work day, based on salary, benefits, payroll costs, equipment, and overhead for the assigned role. |
| Confidence | 4. Comparable report automation has been delivered, and the source format is known. |
| Outcome | 4. Faster report delivery is material to the current service-quality objective. |
| Urgency | 2. A contractual reporting requirement starts on a fixed date. |
| Work Days | 20: 6 for source integration, 8 for report generation and validation, 4 for templates, and 2 for user instructions. |
| Required FTE | 1 |
| Wait Time | 5 days for template review |
| Monthly Benefit | 5,000 USD per month, based on 40 saved hours per month at 125 USD per hour |
Total Cost = 20 × 900 USD = 18,000 USD
Duration = (20 ÷ 1) + 5 = 25 days
Project Score = (4 + 4) × 2 = 16
36-month Net Value = (5,000 USD × 36) − 18,000 USD
= 180,000 USD − 18,000 USD
= 162,000 USD
Efficiency = 162,000 USD ÷ 20 = 8,100 USD per work day
Outcome is 4, so the project is High Strategic. Its 36-month Net Value is 162,000 USD, so it is High Financial. The classification is Unicorn.
Conclusion: Service Report Automation is a Unicorn because it is both High Strategic and High Financial. It requires 20 work days, costs 18,000 USD, and has a duration of 25 days. Its Efficiency is 8,100 USD per work day, and its Project Score of 16 exceeds the high-priority target within its class. Confirm the monthly saving against current report hours, then proceed with the defined scope.
Related methods
- CASE structures a help, approval, or decision request when work is blocked.
- FAST prepares a decision-focused meeting and its pre-read.
Agent skill
This repository is also a portable Agent Skill. To install it, copy or clone this repository into the skills directory used by an Agent Skills-compatible client. Keep the directory name oktoeight-core-method so it matches the skill name in SKILL.md.
This skill works alone. To combine methods, install the CASE Method and FAST Method as sibling skill directories. Each skill routes work to another installed Oktoeight skill only when that method fits better.
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md to propose a change.
License
This work is available under the terms in LICENSE.