bkjohn2018 Executive Diagnostic Synthesis
When to Use
- The user asks for an executive brief or leadership-ready summary.
- Diagnostic work needs to be converted into a decision-oriented message.
- Leaders need the insight, confidence level, recommended action, and risk of premature action.
Relationship to Executive Summary Writing
Use executive-summary-writing for general leadership summaries from analysis, governance updates, audits, or transformation initiatives. Use this skill when the summary is specifically diagnostic and depends on system sensing, stressed edges, hypotheses, evidence confidence, or risks of premature action.
Synthesis Rules
- Start with the answer or primary diagnostic insight.
- Use clear action titles when helpful.
- Preserve uncertainty without burying the message.
- Distinguish facts, hypotheses, and recommendations when stakes are high.
- Focus on the decision leaders need to make next.
Workflow
- State the answer-first summary.
- Explain why it matters now.
- Name the key diagnostic insight.
- Recommend the next action.
- State evidence confidence.
- Warn against premature or oversized action.
- Close with immediate next steps.
Output Template
## Executive Brief
- Answer-first summary:
- Why this matters now:
- Key diagnostic insight:
- Recommended action:
- Evidence confidence:
- Risks of premature action:
- Immediate next steps:
Quality Checklist
- The brief is short enough for leadership use.
- The recommendation is tied to evidence and decision need.
- Uncertainty is visible but not paralyzing.
- The brief avoids jargon unless the audience requires it.