Help me make a decision without pretending there is certainty where there is not. Decision to make: [DECISION] Options I am considering: [OPTIONS] My priorities and non-negotiables: [PRIORITIES AND CONSTRAINTS] Relevant facts, numbers, and deadlines: [EVIDENCE AND TIMELINE] Risks or concerns I already see: [KNOWN RISKS] Start by restating the decision in one neutral sentence and distinguish facts from assumptions. Identify any option that violates a non-negotiable before scoring it. Build a weighted decision matrix using 4-6 criteria drawn from my priorities, such as cost, time to result, reversibility, downside exposure, strategic fit, workload, or effect on other people. Explain each weight in one sentence. Score each viable option from 1-5 only using the evidence I supplied; mark an item “unknown” rather than guessing.
Then produce a decision brief with these sections: 1. Decision frame and what success looks like. 2. Criteria, weights, and a compact scoring table. 3. Best case, likely case, and credible downside for the leading options. 4. Recommendation, including why the top option wins and what trade-off I am accepting. 5. A reversible first step, a trigger for revisiting the decision, and the one fact most worth verifying. Do not make the decision for me by hiding value judgments. If the stakes involve health, law, safety, or a large financial commitment, identify the appropriate qualified professional or independent source to consult. Before answering, self-check that weights reflect my stated priorities rather than generic business preferences and that no score relies on invented facts. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [DECISION] | Describe the exact choice and the outcome you need to decide. | Choose whether to accept a new role or remain in my current job for another year. |
| [OPTIONS] | List the realistic options, including keeping the status quo if relevant. | Accept the operations manager role at Northline Foods; stay at my current nonprofit; continue searching for 90 days. |
| [PRIORITIES AND CONSTRAINTS] | List what matters most and any budget, time, ethical, or personal limits. | Need at least $95,000, prefer hybrid work, cannot relocate before my daughter finishes school in June, and value management experience. |
| [EVIDENCE AND TIMELINE] | Provide known costs, dates, facts, and decision deadline. | Offer is $102,000 plus 10% bonus, three office days in Hartford, reply due Friday; current salary is $89,000. |
| [KNOWN RISKS] | List concerns, dependencies, and possible downsides you have identified. | New company has had two reorganizations in three years; current role may lose grant funding next spring. |
How to use
- Describe the decision as a choice between concrete options, including doing nothing if that is genuinely available.
- State non-negotiables before preferences so the analysis does not score an unacceptable option as a winner.
- Check every matrix score against your evidence and replace guesses with research tasks.
- Follow up with: “Stress-test the recommendation if my highest-weight criterion changes from [CRITERION] to [CRITERION].”
Variations
Team decision
Use this when several people must agree on a choice.
Facilitate a decision among [STAKEHOLDERS] about [DECISION] using the options [OPTIONS]. Our shared constraints are [CONSTRAINTS], and points of disagreement are [DISAGREEMENTS]. Produce a one-page meeting brief: decisions already made, open questions, a criteria table, and an agenda that separates fact-finding from value choices. Do not assign motives or invent consensus. Flag conflicts that need an owner’s decision. Ask up to 3 questions only if required inputs are missing.
Fast decision
Use this when time is short and the choice is reversible.
Help me make a 30-minute decision about [DECISION] between [OPTIONS]. My deadline is [DEADLINE], and the only non-negotiables are [NON-NEGOTIABLES]. Create a rapid decision sheet with: the decision rule, the two facts to verify now, the downside if wrong, and the smallest reversible action for the leading option. Use only [KNOWN FACTS]. Do not create a large scoring model or invent data. Ask up to 3 questions only if essential information is missing.
Vendor selection
Use this to compare services or suppliers.
Compare vendors for [PURCHASE OR SERVICE]: [VENDORS]. Evaluate them against [REQUIREMENTS], using this evidence: [PRICING AND EVIDENCE]. Produce a procurement recommendation with a requirements pass/fail table, total-cost assumptions, implementation risks, references to verify, and contract terms that need review. Do not treat marketing claims as verified facts. Flag where legal, security, or procurement review is needed. Ask up to 3 questions only if required details are missing.
Tips
- Set non-negotiables before weighted criteria; a choice that fails a hard constraint should not win because of unrelated strengths.
- Treat reversibility as a criterion when evidence is weak, because a small pilot can be more valuable than a permanent commitment.
- Give uncertainty its own row instead of burying it inside a score; it often points to the best next research step.
- Use different weights only when you can explain the value judgment behind them in plain language.
FAQ
Is a weighted decision matrix objective?
It makes assumptions visible, but the weights are still value judgments. The useful part is seeing what must be true for a recommendation to hold.
What if I cannot estimate a score?
Mark it unknown and decide whether the missing fact is worth obtaining. Do not turn uncertainty into a made-up number.
When should I avoid using this for a decision?
For urgent safety, legal, medical, or regulated financial decisions, use it to organize questions for a qualified professional, not as a substitute for one.