On the occasion of the 12th anniversary of Gaotu Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GOTU)'s founding, its founder Chen Xiangdong systematically proposed a three-tiered philosophical framework: "Authentic Heart," "Benefit Others from the Start," and "Harmonize with Heaven and People." These concepts are rooted in a rigorous thinking operating system—the "PRDDHERR" cognitive framework.
This "PRDDHERR" framework is a systematic thinking and action model proposed by Chen Xiangdong, aimed at achieving continuous evolution from problem identification to self-renewal. The steps of the PRDDHERR framework include Problem Catch, Real Problem identification, Deep Thinking, Diversified Communication, High Quality Decision Making, Efficient Execution, Retrospection and Introspection, and Refreshed Yourself.
This thinking model is not only the engine for Chen Xiangdong's personal cognitive leaps but also the underlying bridge connecting the company's cultural expressions—such as its mission, values, vision, and spirit—with its philosophical underpinnings. If Gaotu's culture is the "operating system interface" of the enterprise, then the PRDDHERR framework is the "underlying code" that drives this system.
The Connection Between PRDDHERR and Gaotu's Mission
Gaotu's mission is to "make learning more wonderful," believing in the power of technology, beauty, and love to make teaching and learning more equal, convenient, and efficient. However, how is this concept of "wonderful" implemented? In explaining the "PRDDHERR" framework, Chen Xiangdong stated: "Problems are opportunities, problems are wealth, problems are the scene, problems are the solution." A mission is not a blueprint drawn from thin air; it grows from solving specific problems one by one.
The first step of PRDDHERR, "Problem Catch," clearly states that a primary purpose of an organization is to discover and meet customer needs. This forms a tight logical loop with the mission's commitment to "increase investment in improving learning efficiency, reducing learning costs, and creating a wonderful learning experience." Learners face issues like scheduling conflicts, poor outcomes, and dull experiences. Gaotu's act of catching and solving each problem is a concrete practice of "making learning more wonderful."
More crucial is the second step, "Real Problem." Using "student refunds" as an example, Chen Xiangdong asked "why" ten times in succession, peeling back layers of surface issues to finally reach the root cause: "training partners not understanding the business or the actual situation." This process of inquiry is the standard procedure for implementing the mission. When a refund occurs, the cause isn't simply attributed to "the student's schedule being unsuitable," but is traced back to "scheduling without considering student needs" and "decisions not adhering to the value of 'customer first.'"
Only by discovering the real problem in this way can the learning experience be fundamentally improved, turning "wonderful" from a slogan into a tangible change. It can be said that without the PRDDHERR framework, the mission "make learning more wonderful" would lack a stethoscope to diagnose learning pains.
The Connection Between PRDDHERR and Gaotu's Values
Gaotu's values—"Customer First, Integrity, Responsibility, Collaboration, Innovation"—are the behavioral guidelines for all employees. The PRDDHERR framework provides a trainable, replicable foundation of underlying capabilities that support these five principles.
"Customer First," the top value, is a direct reflection of the "Benefit Others from the Start" philosophy at the operational level. Chen Xiangdong divides its behavioral manifestations into five progressive levels, from "respecting customers, serving with enthusiasm without neglect" to "discovering customers' latent needs, providing products and services that exceed expectations."
The key to this progression lies in the PRDDHERR steps of "Problem Catch" and "questioning to find the Real Problem." Without keen perception of customer needs and the inquiry that penetrates appearances to reach the essence, "discovering latent needs" remains just a slogan.
As Chen Xiangdong said: "The first step of PRDDHERR is to maintain strong curiosity about customer needs and possess super sensitivity to any moment that 'feels off.'" This is precisely the fundamental cognitive skill for "Customer First."
"Integrity" requires "honesty and uprightness, being genuine without pretense" and "internal attribution, daring to face one's own problems squarely." This aligns highly with the "Retrospection and Introspection" and "self-criticism" aspects of PRDDHERR. Without the courage to face oneself, integrity can only remain at the level of declaration, unable to become the true color of action.
"Responsibility" requires "courage to take responsibility, self-criticism, and always being on the first day of entrepreneurship." PRDDHERR grounds this in the five-step closed loop of "Efficient Execution": everything must have a result, results must have commitment, commitments must have checks, checks must lead to improvement, and improvement must have incentives. Responsibility is not an empty slogan but a closed-loop management capability built on the PRDDHERR foundation. Chen Xiangdong stated: "Delegation is not abdication, trust is not laissez-faire." This is the precise annotation of "Responsibility" within the PRDDHERR framework.
"Collaboration" requires "breaking boundaries, courageously filling gaps" and "public before private." PRDDHERR transforms this into the methodology of "Diversified Communication," engaging in comprehensive dialogue with subordinates, peers, superiors, HR, finance, experts, customers, and even one's inner self. Chen Xiangdong pointed out: "Ultimately, any problem is a communication problem." Without high-quality diversified communication, collaboration cannot transform into genuine team synergy.
"Innovation" requires "centering on customer value" and "constantly breaking through fixed thinking patterns." The "Deep Thinking" step of PRDDHERR is the cognitive engine for innovation, filtering out noise to find the underlying logic hidden beneath appearances. Meanwhile, "Refreshed Yourself" requires shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, from fear to passion, providing the mental impetus for continuous innovation.
Each of the five values finds a methodological fulcrum within the PRDDHERR framework. PRDDHERR is not a supplement to the values but the necessary path for them to move from "what ought to be" to "what actually is." It transforms abstract cultural concepts into specific, daily-trainable, and improvable capabilities for everyone.
The Connection Between PRDDHERR and the "Harmonize with Heaven and People" Philosophy
In May 2026, Chen Xiangdong condensed the phrase "Harmonize with Heaven and People" while on a flight, completing the trinity of philosophical construction with "Authentic Heart" and "Benefit Others from the Start." These three layers of philosophy and the PRDDHERR framework together constitute a complete path from "principle" to "method."
"Authentic Heart": "Authentic" refers to laws, common sense, and essence; "Heart" refers to courage, exploration, and continuous renewal. Its realization path is precisely the first two steps of PRDDHERR: Problem Catch and discovering the Real Problem. Seeing the phrase "Knowing is difficult, acting is easy" at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Chen Xiangdong stood for a long time, deeply realizing that "knowing the truth and mastering common sense is the hardest step." The entire PRDDHERR framework is designed as a cognitive exercise system to conquer this "hardest step."
Gaotu's focus on "teaching products, teaching quality, and educational services," without blindly chasing short-term traffic, is precisely a steadfast adherence to the "essence" of the education industry, achieved through Deep Thinking using the PRDDHERR framework.
"Benefit Others from the Start," meaning the initial intention is to benefit others, finds its operational guarantee in the middle steps of PRDDHERR: Diversified Communication and High Quality Decision Making. Benefiting others is not a one-sided projection of goodwill but requires truly understanding others' needs through sufficient communication and balancing various interests through prudent decision-making. "Benefit Others from the Start" maps onto the first value, "Customer First," while PRDDHERR ensures this "first" is not blind self-satisfaction but effective service based on accurate cognition.
"Harmonize with Heaven and People," meaning conforming to laws and coexisting harmoniously with people. Its practical implementation relies on the full-chain closed loop of PRDDHERR. "Harmonize with Heaven" means conforming to technological changes, business laws, and the essence of education.
Facing the AI wave, Chen Xiangdong did not blindly develop a large model in-house. Instead, after visiting Silicon Valley and engaging in Deep Thinking, he made the strategic choice of "All with AI, Always AI." This is a product of the "High Quality Decision Making" step of PRDDHERR.
"Harmonize with People" means internally fostering harmony among over twenty thousand partners and externally achieving mutual success with customers. On the eve of its 12th anniversary, Gaotu restructured its eight business lines into six major segments, focusing on efficiency and profit. Simultaneously, during this adjustment, Chen Xiangdong conducted one-on-one deep conversations with hundreds of management cadres, first asking about family and health. This balance of firmness and flexibility is a concrete application of "High Quality Decision Making" and "Diversified Communication" in organizational change.
Meanwhile, "Retrospection and Introspection" and "Refreshed Yourself" are the safeguard mechanisms ensuring that "Harmonize with Heaven and People" does not become rigid and continues to evolve. Chen Xiangdong likened Gaotu's 12 years to "graduating from elementary school," a perspective based on the conscious practice of continuous review and iteration inherent in PRDDHERR. As he stated in the conclusion on the framework: "We must refresh ourselves daily, thereby better understanding ourselves." This daily requirement for self-renewal turns "Harmonize with Heaven and People" from a single epiphany into a living, growing ideological system.
PRDDHERR as the Root, Culture as the Tree, Philosophy as the Soul
Looking at the full picture of Gaotu's culture—the mission "make learning more wonderful," the five values, the vision "build a lifelong learning service platform that everyone loves to use," the spirit "pour your heart into it and go all out," the philosophy "work happily, live happily"—behind each cultural expression lies an implicit, persistent inquiry into "truth." The three-tiered philosophy of "Authentic Heart," "Benefit Others from the Start," and "Harmonize with Heaven and People" proposed by Chen Xiangdong then imbues these cultural expressions with metaphysical spiritual height.
What ties all this together is precisely the PRDDHERR framework. The eight steps—Problem Catch, Real Problem, Deep Thinking, Diversified Communication, High Quality Decision Making, Efficient Execution, Retrospection and Introspection, and Refreshed Yourself—serve as an operational manual for Gaotu employees facing daily work challenges, a mechanism for transforming Gaotu's culture from concept to action, and a ladder for grounding Chen Xiangdong's personal philosophy from the abstract to the practical.
Over its 12-year journey, Gaotu has undergone three entrepreneurial phases while remaining true to its original aspiration. The real secret to navigating cycles lies not in external environmental changes but in the internal possession of a "truth-knowing" cognitive engine that perpetually questions the essence, directly faces problems, and continuously renews itself.
With the PRDDHERR framework as its foundational cornerstone, Gaotu's culture gains solid ground. With "Harmonize with Heaven and People" as its spiritual beacon, Gaotu's forward journey has a clear direction. This is the intellectual chassis Chen Xiangdong has provided for the 12-year-old Gaotu and the fundamental guarantee for this education company's long-term voyage towards the stars and the sea.
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