The Reasoning Framework Playbook
12 core frameworks across 7 axes — taxonomy, choice matrix, boilerplate templates, and a selection flowchart.
Core referenceWorked Stack Examples
Three end-to-end examples of composing frameworks across axes, plus a stack-selection cheatsheet.
AppliedOutput Eval Rubrics
How to judge each framework's output: universal dimensions, per-framework signature checks, and a cost/latency budget model.
EvaluationDecision Log & Template
A per-task record of which stack you chose and why, plus the workflow for keeping the playbook current.
PracticeAnti-Pattern Gallery
Concrete before/after failures mapped to rubric violations. A living gallery you extend from real lessons.
LivingQuick reference — the 7 axes & 12 core frameworks
| Axis | Frameworks (core) |
|---|---|
| A · Topology | CoT · Thread of Thought · Tree of Thoughts · Graph of Thoughts |
| B · Sampling/Aggregation | Self-Consistency |
| C · Grounding/Action | ReAct · PAL / Program-of-Thoughts |
| D · Decomposition/Planning | Least-to-Most |
| E · Abstraction | Step-Back |
| F · Self-Evaluation/Memory | Metacognitive / Self-Refine / RaR · Reflexion |
| G · Steering | Directional Stimulus Prompting |
Tier-2 variants: Skeleton-of-Thought · Universal Self-Consistency · Chain-of-Verification · Plan-and-Solve · Self-Ask · Analogical.
Fast selection (4 gates)
- External info / tools / exact computation? → PAL (compute) · ReAct (tools) · CoVe (verify)
- Large / messy input context? → Thread of Thought
- Explore alternatives or merge sub-solutions? → ToT (search) · GoT (merge) · Least-to-Most (ordered)
- Dominant secondary need? → Self-Consistency (reliability) · Step-Back (principle) · Reflexion/Self-Refine (retry) · RaR (ambiguity) · DSP (steering) · CoT (default)
Axes are orthogonal — layer one framework per axis for high-value stacks (e.g., ReAct × Self-Consistency × Step-Back).