Why Alternative Frameworks Matter

Red teaming fails when the method doesn’t match the threat. The right approach depends on whether risks are internal or external, known or unknown, and whether the stakes are a setback or survival.

Complete Red Team Frameworks Collection

Red Team Framework Collection

Eight Specialized Approaches for Strategic Challenges

Table of Contents

1. Strategic Competition Focus Mature markets, intense competition
2. Assumption-Centric Approach Stable industries, execution focus
3. Outside-In Methodology Disruption risk, technology shifts
4. Iterative Challenge Model High uncertainty, rapid change
5. Compliance Red Team Regulatory risk, compliance-heavy
6. Pre-Mortem Analysis M&A, major transformations
7. Devil's Advocate Process Innovation, new ventures
8. Black Swan Hunting Crisis, existential threats

Strategic Competition Focus

Red Team Framework for Mature Markets with Intense Competition

Strategic Context
This framework is designed for organizations facing direct competitive threats in mature markets. Use when you have clear, identifiable competitors and need to anticipate their moves, defend market position, and identify vulnerabilities in your competitive strategy.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Market leader or #2-3 position facing threats
✓ Established business model under attack
✓ Clear competitors with known strategies
✓ Market share erosion or price wars
1
Competitive Intelligence Mapping
  • Profile top 3-5 competitors
  • Analyze their strategies
  • Map competitive moves
  • Identify decision patterns
Output: Competitor playbooks
2
Adversarial Role Assignment
  • Create competitor teams
  • Assign market positions
  • Define win conditions
  • Set competitive rules
Output: War game structure
3
War Game Execution
  • Multi-round simulation
  • Competitive responses
  • Market dynamics play
  • Document strategies
Output: Competitive scenarios
4
Competitive Defense Planning
  • Identify vulnerabilities
  • Design counter-moves
  • Build early warnings
  • Create response plans
Output: Competitive strategy
Strategic Competition Red Team Framework | Designed for war gaming and competitive simulation

Assumption-Centric Approach

Red Team Framework for Validating Core Business Assumptions

Strategic Context
This framework systematically challenges the foundational assumptions underlying your strategy. Use when internal execution is more critical than external threats, and when you need to validate that your core beliefs about the business remain true and actionable.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Mid-stage company with proven product-market fit
✓ Scaling operations and execution focus
✓ Internal inefficiencies are primary risk
✓ Strategy depends on untested assumptions
1
Assumption Archaeology
  • Surface hidden beliefs
  • Document assumptions
  • Trace assumption origins
  • Rate criticality
Output: Assumption inventory
2
Systematic Invalidation
  • Design disproofs
  • Gather counter-evidence
  • Test edge cases
  • Challenge sacred cows
Output: Assumption risk map
3
Cascade Analysis
  • Map dependencies
  • Model failure chains
  • Calculate impacts
  • Find breaking points
Output: Failure scenarios
4
Assumption Hardening
  • Replace weak assumptions
  • Build contingencies
  • Create monitors
  • Design experiments
Output: Validated strategy
Assumption-Centric Red Team Framework | Designed for systematic validation and risk assessment

Outside-In Methodology

Red Team Framework for Disruption Risk and Technology Shifts

Strategic Context
This framework views your organization through the eyes of disruptors, new entrants, and customers. Use when facing potential disruption from new technologies, business models, or market entrants who might bypass your traditional competitive advantages.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Industry facing technological disruption
✓ New entrants threatening market
✓ Business model innovation emerging
✓ Customer behaviors shifting rapidly
1
External Perspective Taking
  • Customer journey mapping
  • Disruptor analysis
  • Technology scanning
  • Ecosystem mapping
Output: External view
2
Attack Vector Discovery
  • Find business model gaps
  • Identify bypass routes
  • Spot substitutes
  • Map vulnerabilities
Output: Threat catalog
3
Disruption Simulation
  • Model new entrants
  • Test platform attacks
  • Simulate unbundling
  • Project timing
Output: Disruption timeline
4
Transformation Design
  • Design new models
  • Plan self-disruption
  • Build platforms
  • Create options
Output: Innovation strategy
Outside-In Red Team Framework | Designed for disruption assessment and transformation planning

Iterative Challenge Model

Red Team Framework for High Uncertainty and Rapid Change

Strategic Context
This framework continuously challenges and adapts strategy through rapid cycles of provocation and testing. Use when facing multiple plausible futures, high uncertainty, and when organizational agility is more important than strategic optimization.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Growth stage in emerging markets
✓ Multiple pivot possibilities exist
✓ Unknown unknowns dominate risks
✓ Need for continuous adaptation
1
Strategic Provocation
  • Challenge orthodoxies
  • Question boundaries
  • Propose extremes
  • Surface tensions
Output: Challenge agenda
2
Rapid Stress Cycling
  • Quick scenario tests
  • Pressure boundaries
  • Find flex points
  • Test adaptation
Output: Stress results
3
Pivot Point Mapping
  • Identify triggers
  • Design branches
  • Create options
  • Build flexibility
Output: Decision tree
4
Adaptive Capacity Building
  • Design sensing systems
  • Create response protocols
  • Build learning loops
  • Enable quick pivots
Output: Agile strategy
Iterative Challenge Red Team Framework | Designed for continuous adaptation and strategic agility

Compliance Red Team

Red Team Framework for Regulatory Risk and Compliance-Heavy Industries

Strategic Context
This framework stress-tests regulatory compliance and identifies vulnerabilities before regulators do. Use in highly regulated industries where compliance failures can result in significant penalties, reputational damage, or operational restrictions.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Financial services or healthcare sectors
✓ Facing regulatory changes or scrutiny
✓ High cost of compliance failures
✓ Complex regulatory environment
1
Regulatory Landscape Scan
  • Map current regulations
  • Track proposed changes
  • Identify gray areas
  • Benchmark penalties
Output: Regulatory map
2
Compliance Gap Analysis
  • Audit current state
  • Find vulnerabilities
  • Test controls
  • Assess culture
Output: Gap assessment
3
Enforcement Simulation
  • Model investigations
  • Test response plans
  • Simulate audits
  • Calculate exposure
Output: Risk scenarios
4
Compliance Architecture
  • Design controls
  • Build monitoring
  • Create training
  • Establish governance
Output: Compliance system
Compliance Red Team Framework | Designed for regulatory risk assessment and mitigation

Pre-Mortem Analysis

Red Team Framework for M&A and Major Transformations

Strategic Context
This framework imagines failure before it happens to identify and prevent potential causes. Use before major strategic moves like mergers, acquisitions, transformations, or new strategy launches where failure would be costly and prevention is critical.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Pre or post-merger integration
✓ Major organizational transformation
✓ New strategy launch with high stakes
✓ Complex multi-stakeholder initiatives
1
Future Failure Visioning
  • Imagine total failure
  • Work backwards
  • Identify paths
  • Rate probabilities
Output: Failure stories
2
Root Cause Exploration
  • Trace failure chains
  • Find common causes
  • Identify blind spots
  • Map dependencies
Output: Cause analysis
3
Integration Risk Testing
  • Culture clash analysis
  • System compatibility
  • Process conflicts
  • Stakeholder resistance
Output: Risk matrix
4
Success Insurance Design
  • Build safeguards
  • Create checkpoints
  • Design exit options
  • Plan interventions
Output: Risk mitigation
Pre-Mortem Analysis Red Team Framework | Designed for preventing failure in high-stakes initiatives

Devil's Advocate Process

Red Team Framework for Innovation and New Ventures

Strategic Context
This framework applies systematic skepticism to challenge new ideas and validate hypotheses. Use for startups, corporate ventures, innovation initiatives, or any situation requiring rigorous testing of assumptions before significant resource commitment.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Startups and new ventures
✓ R&D and innovation projects
✓ Market validation needed
✓ Resource constraints require focus
1
Hypothesis Formation
  • Define core beliefs
  • State value props
  • Identify leaps of faith
  • Set success criteria
Output: Hypothesis set
2
Systematic Skepticism
  • Challenge each claim
  • Demand evidence
  • Find contradictions
  • Test alternatives
Output: Challenge log
3
Market Reality Testing
  • Customer validation
  • Competitive response
  • Technical feasibility
  • Economic viability
Output: Reality check
4
Pivot or Persevere
  • Synthesize learning
  • Design pivots
  • Strengthen case
  • Set milestones
Output: Go/no-go decision
Devil's Advocate Red Team Framework | Designed for rigorous innovation validation

Black Swan Hunting

Red Team Framework for Crisis Situations and Existential Threats

Strategic Context
This framework hunts for extreme, high-impact events that could destroy the organization. Use in turnaround situations, declining markets, or when facing existential threats where traditional risk assessment fails to capture the magnitude of potential disruption.

When to Use This Approach

✓ Turnaround or crisis situations
✓ Declining market or industry
✓ Existential threats present
✓ High uncertainty, catastrophic stakes
1
Extreme Event Cataloging
  • Study past crises
  • Identify tail risks
  • Map cascades
  • Find correlations
Output: Black swan list
2
System Fragility Analysis
  • Find single points
  • Test breaking points
  • Model contagion
  • Calculate survival
Output: Fragility map
3
Survival Scenario Planning
  • Design worst cases
  • Test responses
  • Find resources
  • Plan triage
Output: Survival plans
4
Antifragility Building
  • Create optionality
  • Build redundancy
  • Design circuit breakers
  • Strengthen core
Output: Resilient strategy
Black Swan Hunting Red Team Framework | Designed for extreme risk assessment and survival planning