<p>Among the various thinking tools of the Theory of Constraints (TOC), the Evaporating Cloud (EC) stands out as a pivotal tool for framing and solving decision problems. However, there is little empirical evidence to support the claims of this tool’s effectiveness in rational decision-making situations. This research contributes to the theory and practice of decision-making by empirically testing the efficacy of the Evaporating Cloud (EC) in the framing and option generation stages of the decision-making process. Its effectiveness is evaluated in a specific managerial decision-making scenario within an IT-enabled business process management (BPM) context. The efficacy was operationalized through six different themes of serviceability, based on the practical validity of suggestions and options generated during the decision-making process. The methodology of analysis included the use of canonical action research (CAR) and thematic analysis combined with empirical results. Knowledge and application of EC were found to improve the efficacy of decision-making during the framing and option generation stages. Such empirical validation of the efficacy of EC is an advancement to the theory of decision-making. Moreover, the methodology and results developed in this study can be used by practicing managers and researchers to evaluate the efficacy of different decision-making tools and methods.</p>