Tree of Thoughts (ToT)
Parallel thinking paths for complex problem solving
Tree of Thoughts (ToT) extends Chain-of-Thought by exploring and evaluating multiple solution paths in parallel. The AI branches into different possibilities at each step and selects the most promising paths.
How does ToT work?
Imagine a decision tree:
- Each node is an intermediate step
- Multiple branches extend from each node
- The AI evaluates each branch and pursues the best ones
- The optimal path is chosen at the end
Simple ToT Example
Business Strategy
Problem: Increase revenue by 20%
Level 1 - Main approaches:
├── A: Enter new markets
├── B: Expand existing customers
└── C: Extend product portfolio
Level 2 - Evaluation and deepening:
A: New markets
├── A1: International expansion (Risk: high, Potential: high)
├── A2: Target new customer groups (Risk: medium, Potential: medium)
└── A3: New distribution channels (Risk: low, Potential: medium)
B: Existing customers
├── B1: Upselling programs (Risk: low, Potential: medium)
├── B2: Strengthen customer loyalty (Risk: low, Potential: high)
└── B3: Optimize cross-selling (Risk: low, Potential: medium)
Level 3 - Final selection:
Optimal path: Combine B2 + A3
Practical Applications
Product Development
Task: Develop new feature for our app
Level 1 - Basic direction:
├── Improve user-friendliness
├── Add new functionality
└── Optimize performance
Level 2 - Concrete ideas (User-friendliness):
├── Simplify onboarding
│ ├── Interactive tutorial
│ ├── Video introduction
│ └── Step-by-step guide
├── Revise navigation
│ ├── New menu structure
│ ├── Improve search function
│ └── Introduce shortcuts
└── Personalization
├── Individual dashboards
├── Customizable themes
└── AI-based recommendations
Assessment: Shortcuts + AI recommendations = best combination
Problem Solving
Problem: High employee turnover
Analysis levels:
├── Root cause research
│ ├── Salary/Benefits
│ ├── Work culture
│ └── Career opportunities
├── Immediate measures
│ ├── Exit interviews
│ ├── Employee survey
│ └── Benchmark analysis
└── Long-term solutions
├── Mentoring programs
├── Flexible work models
└── Define career paths
Recommended path: Exit interviews → Work culture analysis → Flexible models
ToT Prompt Templates
Simplified Version
Imagine three different experts solving this problem.
Each develops their own approach:
Problem: [Your challenge]
Expert 1 (conservative): [Approach 1]
Expert 2 (innovative): [Approach 2]
Expert 3 (pragmatic): [Approach 3]
Each expert evaluates the other approaches.
Which path or combination is optimal?
Structured Version
Problem: [Define the problem]
Step 1 - Possible approaches:
- Option A: [Description]
- Option B: [Description]
- Option C: [Description]
Step 2 - Evaluate each option:
- Advantages/Disadvantages
- Probability of success
- Resource requirements
Step 3 - Deepen the best 2 options:
[Detailed elaboration]
Step 4 - Final recommendation
Iterative Version
Round 1: Brainstorm 5 solution approaches
Round 2: Choose the best 3 and develop them further
Round 3: Combine elements of the top 2 approaches
Round 4: Optimize the final solution
Advanced ToT Techniques
Multi-Criteria Evaluation
Rate each path by:
1. Feasibility (0-10)
2. Cost (0-10)
3. Time effort (0-10)
4. Success probability (0-10)
Only paths with total score > 30 are pursued
Allow Backtracking
If a path doesn't work:
1. Go back one step
2. Choose the second-best option
3. Explore alternative routes
4. Learn from the failure
Parallel Exploration
Pursue the top 3 paths simultaneously:
Path A: [Development]
Path B: [Development]
Path C: [Development]
Merge successful elements at the end
Practical Examples
Marketing Campaign
Goal: New product launch
Main strategies:
├── Digital First
│ ├── Social Media Blitz
│ ├── Influencer Partnership
│ └── Content Marketing
├── Traditional Media
│ ├── TV Advertising
│ ├── Print Ads
│ └── Radio Spots
└── Guerilla Marketing
├── Pop-up Events
├── Street Art
└── Viral Stunts
Optimal mix: Social Media + Pop-up Events + Content Marketing
Software Architecture
Requirement: Scalable E-Commerce Platform
Architecture options:
├── Monolith
│ ├── Simple development
│ └── Difficult scaling
├── Microservices
│ ├── Independent services
│ ├── Complex orchestration
│ └── Optimal scaling
└── Serverless
├── No infrastructure management
├── Vendor lock-in
└── Variable costs
Decision: Hybrid of Microservices + Serverless for critical components
Best Practices
GitBranch
Breadth before depth
First explore many options superficially
Target
Evaluation criteria
Define clear metrics for each path
RefreshCw
Flexibility
Stay open to course corrections
When to use ToT?
✅ Perfect for:
- Strategic decisions
- Complex problem solving
- Innovation projects
- When multiple solution paths exist
❌ Less suitable for:
- Simple, linear tasks
- Time-critical decisions
- When only one correct answer exists
Combination with Other Techniques
ToT + Self-Consistency
"Develop three decision trees for the same problem.
Find commonalities in the optimal paths."
ToT + Generated Knowledge
"First generate expertise for each branch,
before conducting the evaluation."
Practical Exercise
Apply ToT to this challenge: "Your company needs to reduce operating costs by 15% without compromising quality."
- Identify 3 main approaches
- Develop 3 sub-options each
- Evaluate all paths
- Choose the optimal strategy
Pro tip: Visualize your thought tree! A graphical representation helps with decision-making.
Next step: Learn about Prompt Chaining for sequential, multi-stage tasks.