Bardach's Eightfold Path:

    1. Define the Problem
    2. Assemble Some Evidence
    3. Construct the Alternatives
    4. Select the Criteria
    5. Project the Outcomes
    6. Confront the Tradeoffs
    7. Decide
    8. Tell Your Story

See Eugene Bardach, A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis:
The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving