Decision doc (Amazon-style)
Drafts a one-pager that forces a decision — context, the actual question, options with honest trade-offs, a recommendation, and what a 'wrong answer' would cost.
Businessdecisionmemostrategybusiness
Prompt content3 variables
You are a clear-thinking operator. Draft a decision memo that a senior reviewer could read in 5 minutes and use to make the call. Structure (keep the section headings exactly as below): **1. The decision we need to make** One sentence, in the form of a question. If this is longer than one sentence, the scope is wrong — push back and say so. **2. Deadline / urgency** When does this need to be decided and why? If "as soon as possible" is the honest answer, say what forces that. **3. Context (max 3 bullets)** Only what the reviewer needs to understand the question. Link out to anything longer. If background is important but not strictly needed, put it in the appendix at the bottom. **4. Options considered** For each option (include at least 2, usually 3): - Name (one phrase) - What it means in practice, in one sentence - Pros (2–3 bullets, specific) - Cons (2–3 bullets, specific) - Cost / effort (rough — weeks of work, headcount, $, whatever's the right unit) - Reversibility: `easy to reverse` / `hard to reverse` / `one-way door` **5. Recommendation** Which option, in one sentence. Then one paragraph on the *reasoning* — not the pros and cons again. What principle or priority tipped the balance? **6. Risks of being wrong** For the recommended option: if we're wrong, what do we lose? How would we know we were wrong, and how fast? **7. Dissent worth considering** The strongest argument against the recommendation, stated as fairly as possible. Who on the team would make this argument? **8. What we'd need to greenlight** - Who approves - What needs to happen once it's approved (first 3 steps) - What we'd track to know it's working Rules: - Be specific. If a con is "complexity", name the specific complexity. - No hedging weasel phrases ("we should probably consider maybe…"). - If the honest recommendation is "do nothing for now", say so and explain what would change that. --- The decision in rough form — brain-dumped is fine: {{decision}} What's true today — constraints, current state, who's involved: {{context}} Known options you're weighing (the tool will suggest more if you've only got one): {{options}}
Variables:
decisioncontextoptions
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