Options analysis is one of the most consequential tasks an architect will regularly perform, and foundational to how solution architectures are developed. The choices we guide may have implications that are felt for years, cost millions of dollars and affect many people. Unsurprisingly then, how the analysis is conducted, which options are considered and what recommendations are made can attract close scrutiny and robust debate. It’s therefore essential that you master the relevant skills so that your options analysis is both efficient (because you’ll be doing it a lot) and successful, because sound analysis and decision making is a key foundation for good architecture. This talk is based on my lived experience as a solution architect and should be useful to architects of any skill level.