Decision Memo
Make a decision you can defend later. The AI drives Options and a recommendation checkpoint, then records the call.
the steps, as stored
- 01Frame
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.
- 02Options
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.
- 03Recommendationapproval gate
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.
- 04Recordcontext gate
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.
use it for
- Decide build-versus-buy with the trade-offs laid out side by side
- Choose between vendors with a clear recommendation and rationale
- Weigh a hiring or timing decision and record why you chose what you did
without it, with it
| without | with decision memo |
|---|---|
| The decision gets made in a hallway and three months later nobody remembers why | The AI records the framing, the options, and the rationale as notes, so the reasoning is on the record when someone asks |
| One option gets championed and the alternatives are never seriously weighed | The AI drives an Options step that lays out each path with its trade-offs before any recommendation |
| The recommendation lands before the decision-maker has actually signed off on it | The AI pauses at a recommendation checkpoint so you make the call, rather than the AI deciding for you |