Bring prior decisions into the next review.
Retain the original rationale, track subsequent evidence and recover relevant precedent.
Establish the initial investment case.
The management note provides the proposed cheque, reported revenue and recurring revenue share. Compare these inputs with the family’s investment criteria.
Preserve the original rationale
Record why the office advanced, deferred or declined an opportunity. Include the mandate in force, the material concern and the supporting diligence. The record should explain what the team knew at the time and what would have changed its decision.
Review subsequent evidence against the case
When an opportunity returns, compare the new evidence with the original concern. Review changes in revenue quality, customer concentration and mandate fit. Connect later outcomes to the original assumptions so the team can distinguish a changed case from a revised presentation.
- First look: retain the thesis, open questions and source material.
- Review: add the decision, exceptions and ownership of follow up.
- Later outcome: connect actual performance to the original assumptions.
- Next deal: retrieve relevant precedent without treating it as a prediction.
Maintain the quality of the history
Investment memory requires ongoing review of duplicate records, reporting dates and superseded assumptions. Retain unsuccessful decisions and incomplete outcomes as well as positive examples. Use relevant history to challenge the current case, without treating precedent as a forecast.