Decision Memo

Frame the decision before exploring options.

Capture:

• The decision — what exactly is being decided, in one sentence
• The context — why this is on the table now
• The stakes — what a good or bad call affects
• The decision criteria — what a good outcome must satisfy, in
  priority order (cost, speed, risk, fit, reversibility)
• The deadline and who owns the final call

A decision with no stated criteria cannot be evaluated. If criteria are
unclear, agree them with the operator before advancing.

Save the framing as a task note with task_notes_add. The next step —
Options — reads this note.

Read the task notes with task_notes_list — the note from the Frame
step contains the decision, stakes, and criteria. Work from it.

Lay out the realistic options. What good looks like:

• Each genuine option named, including "do nothing" where relevant
• For each: how it scores against the stated criteria
• The trade-offs — what you gain and give up with each
• Risks and how reversible each path is
• Any evidence or research backing the assessment

Be even-handed — do not stack the deck toward a favorite. If a research
report informs this, pull from its findings.

Save the options and their trade-offs as a task note with
task_notes_add. The Recommendation step reads this note.

Read the task notes with task_notes_list — the Options note holds the
options and trade-offs, and the Frame note holds the criteria. Work
from them.

Write the recommendation:

• The recommended option, stated clearly
• The rationale tied directly to the decision criteria
• What you are trading away by choosing it, acknowledged honestly
• The conditions under which a different option would be better

Present this as a recommendation, not a verdict. Save the recommendation
as a task note with task_notes_add. Then ask the operator to make the
call. This is a checkpoint — the decision is the operator's to make, so
the AI cannot advance until you decide. If you reject the recommendation,
the workflow returns to Options to reconsider.

Read the task notes with task_notes_list — the Recommendation note
holds the recommended option and the operator's decision. Work from it.

Record the final decision. Save a task note with task_notes_add capturing:

• The decision made
• The date and who made the call
• The rationale — the criteria it satisfied and the trade-off accepted
• The options not chosen, briefly, so the reasoning is on the record

This note is the durable record of the decision. Close out the task.