Research-Backed Tools
for Everyday Challenges
Make better decisions, set boundaries, communicate clearly, and build agency.
Explore Tools Get Weekly UpdatesTool Categories
Each addresses a specific challenge with research-backed frameworks and produces actionable results.
Health + Medical Self-Advocacy
Prepare for appointments, communicate symptoms clearly, navigate treatment decisions, and advocate effectively within the healthcare system.
14 tools plannedWork + Productivity
Identify productivity bottlenecks, allocate focus time, analyze task friction, and optimize your work patterns for sustainable output.
12 tools plannedDecision Making
Navigate complex choices, assess regret risk, evaluate tradeoffs, and make decisions aligned with your values and constraints.
11 tools plannedCommunication + Boundaries
Prepare for difficult conversations, set clear boundaries, say no effectively, and communicate your needs without apology.
9 tools plannedMoney + Financial Planning
Align spending with values, rationalize subscriptions, prepare for healthcare costs, and make informed financial decisions.
8 tools plannedEmotional Resilience
Decompose overwhelm, assess burnout risk, check decision fatigue, and build sustainable coping strategies.
9 tools plannedLearning, Skills + Career
Build skill ladders, plan career experiments, evaluate sources, and design deliberate learning paths.
8 tools plannedInformation + Critical Thinking
Evaluate source quality, detect bias patterns, assess evidence strength, and navigate information overload.
7 tools plannedTime + Energy Management
Map energy patterns, calculate recovery debt, optimize context switching, and allocate time according to your natural rhythms.
9 tools plannedRisk + Resilience
Assess habit sustainability, evaluate stressor control, check commitment durability, and build systems that withstand disruption.
7 tools plannedRelationships + Social Dynamics
Navigate social obligations, assess relationship patterns, set interaction boundaries, and make informed social commitments.
6 tools plannedCognitive Systems
Map cognitive signals, support pacing and focus, scaffold memory, and experiment with gentle AI-powered thinking tools.
6 tools plannedFeatured Tools
Start with these high-impact tools designed to address common challenges.
Productivity Dx
Identifies your main productivity bottleneck using the formula: Result = (Clarity × Focus) / Distraction Load
Available NowTask Friction Analyzer
Diagnoses why specific tasks get avoided by rating fear, ambiguity, effort, boredom, and lack of reward.
Coming SoonSubscription Rationalizer
Generates keep/renegotiate/cancel recommendations with annual savings calculations.
Coming SoonOverwhelm Decomposer
Breaks down overwhelming situations into manageable components and identifies which pieces you can actually control.
Available NowDefault Bias Checker
Reveals where you’re staying with the status quo by inertia rather than by active choice.
Coming SoonEnergy Pattern Mapper
Turns daily energy ratings into a pattern with suggestions for when to schedule hard tasks.
Coming SoonAbout The Foundry
The Foundry is a project that aims to build 100+ practical, research-backed tools that help people navigate daily challenges with more clarity and confidence. Each addresses a specific problem, produces actionable results, and is grounded in evidence from psychology, decision science, behavioral economics, and related fields.
We are launching new tools throughout 2026, accompanied by articles that explain the research, methodology, and practical applications. Every tool is free to use and designed to respect your time by delivering value in minutes, not hours.
The Foundry is a project of PatientLead Health LLC, a full-service patient advocacy practice that also helps clients advocate effectively for themselves in complex medical situations. We created The Foundry to extend our work in strengthening agency and self-advocacy beyond the healthcare realm.
Research-Backed
Every tool is grounded in published research with full citations provided.
Immediately Useful
Get actionable results in minutes, not hours. No unnecessary complexity.
Always Free
All tools are free to use. No accounts required, no paywalls.
Privacy First
Your data stays on your device. We do not collect or store your inputs.