Tutorial
Business Acumen

What calculating ROI really is

The 4-minute mental model behind Calculating ROI.

The idea in one line

On the surface, Calculating ROI can look like a single technique you either know or you don't.

Why it's worth your time

Engineering that ignores the business gets overruled by it.

How to recognise it in the wild

1. Spot the moment. Notice when *calculating ROI* is the move the situation is asking for — usually when it's tempting to skip it. 2. Name the goal. Say, in one sentence, what a good outcome looks like here. 3. See the core move. The heart of Calculating ROI is simple: put a return figure on one initiative. 4. Know you're done. You've got it when this stops feeling like a technique and starts feeling like instinct.

What "good" looks like

  • You can explain how a decision affects revenue, cost, or risk.
  • You can hold a real business conversation, not just a technical one.
  • You spot where value is hiding.
Next: try the step-by-step tutorial to actually run the rep.