Synthesis frameworks
JTBD, affinity mapping, MoSCoW, and the CSD matrix — how Synloom turns raw research into structure.
Synthesis is the craft of turning scattered research into structure you can act on. The classic frameworks each answer a different question — and Synloom implements each one.
Jobs to Be Done (JTBD)
JTBD asks: what job is the user hiring this product to do? You map the functional and emotional jobs, the pains that get in the way, and the gains they are after. The Value Prop agent produces exactly this — a Jobs / Pains / Gains map, then the pain relievers and gain creators that address them.
Affinity mapping
Affinity mapping groups scattered observations (quotes, notes, tickets) into themes so patterns emerge. The Empathy agent does this automatically — it clusters research into personas and themes — and the Synthesis agent clusters evidence into problem groups.
What is automatic vs. by hand
Clustering itself is automatic: Empathy and Synthesis group related signals for you. Manually dragging individual cards between clusters (Miro-style) is on the roadmap — today you regroup by rearranging persona and cluster nodes on the canvas.
MoSCoW prioritization
MoSCoW sorts scope into Must / Should / Could / Won’t — a fast way to protect an MVP from scope creep. The Feature Prioritization agent supports MoSCoW directly (alongside RICE, ICE, and Kano), so you can prioritize features in whichever frame fits the decision.
The CSD matrix (Certainties · Suppositions · Doubts)
The CSD matrix — Matriz CSD — is a discovery-alignment tool created at Livework São Paulo. You sort everything the team knows into three columns: Certainties (what we know), Suppositions (what we think we know), and Doubts (open questions). It is a living artifact — as evidence arrives, doubts become suppositions and suppositions become certainties.
The CSD Matrix agent builds this for you from your goal and evidence, and the resulting node is editable — move an item from Doubts to Certainties as you learn. It pairs naturally with synthesis blind spots and evidence gaps, which surface what you do not yet know.
Lesson: pick the framework by the question you are asking
- What it is
- JTBD answers “what is the user trying to accomplish.” Affinity mapping answers “what themes are in this pile of research.” MoSCoW answers “what is in scope.” The CSD matrix answers “what do we actually know versus assume.”
- Why it matters
- Reaching for the wrong framework produces neat-looking output that answers a question you were not asking. Matching the framework to the question is most of the skill.
Before you run an agent, name the question in one sentence. The framework — and the agent — usually falls out of it.