“What do you think?” can be an expensive question when the reader has to reconstruct the decision from a long thread.
A short decision brief can do that preparation. It needs a defined decision, the real options, their tradeoffs, the missing evidence, and a proposed next step.
In a fictional office, the choice is whether to keep a manual intake process or test a shared form for two weeks. The decision is a limited trial, not permanent adoption. That boundary changes what needs approval.
Try this prompt:
Build a one-page decision brief from the supplied facts. State the exact decision and who has authority if provided. Compare the options against the same criteria. Separate facts, assumptions, and unknowns. Include doing nothing if it is a real option. Propose a reversible next step and identify what would stop it. Do not present your recommendation as an approved decision.
Read the brief from the decision-maker’s position. Can they see what they are being asked to authorize? Is the cost known or estimated? Does the proposal create work for someone who has not agreed to do it?
Ask for one counterargument before approving the final draft. The point is to expose a material weakness, not to manufacture a balanced-looking list.
Use it when a decision is small enough to describe clearly but consequential enough to deserve preparation. A well-written brief should make the unresolved judgment easier to see.
Try a free sample
Want a reusable starting point? Open the Decision Pack and copy the free worksheet at the top. The paid section adds guidance and worked examples to help you use it.
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—Future Proof