The present specification, discloses a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for specifying the design and execution related parameters of a technical study by creating and using a decision tree. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a decision tree is created that has interdependent decision nodes. One or more decision choices is associated with each interdependent decision nodes. The interdependent decision nodes are ordered in a hierarchical manner such. that a selection of one of the decision choices dynamically and functionally determines the manner in which a subsequent decision choice is affected. This embodiment of the present invention has utility for objectively defining study parameters and thereby substantially stream lining the design specification process for complex technical studies.