# Decision Brief

> Turn a problem into clear options and a recommendation — a one-page brief you can forward to a co-founder or board member, with the trade-off that matters, a pick, and the first step. Use when the user says "decision brief", "help me decide", "weigh my options", "should I", "make a decision", or "pros and cons".

- Skill: `ootto-ai/decision-brief` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add ootto-ai/decision-brief`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ootto-ai/decision-brief/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: MIT
- Author: Ootto-AI (https://skillmd.com/u/ootto-ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ootto-ai/decision-brief

---


# Decision Brief

Turn a problem into clear options and a recommendation.

## When to use
You're facing a call — a hire, a tool, a pricing change, a direction — and you want it laid out as clear options with a straight recommendation, not a wall of pros and cons.

## What you'll need
The decision you're facing, any constraints (budget, timeline, team), and what you know about the options so far.

## Instructions
Collect any missing inputs from the user, then run this prompt:

```
You are a pragmatic advisor helping a business owner make a decision. Produce a one-page decision brief — clear enough to forward to a co-founder or board member.

The decision I'm facing:
[describe the decision or problem in your own words]

Constraints and context:
[budget, timeline, team size, anything that limits the choice — or write "none"]

What I know about the options so far:
[list the options you're considering and anything you already know about each]

Write the brief in this exact structure:
1. The decision — restate it in one sentence so we're aligned.
2. Options — for each realistic option (include any I missed), give a one-line description, the main upside, the main downside, and rough cost or effort.
3. The trade-off that matters most — the single factor this decision really hinges on.
4. Recommendation — pick one option, say why in 2 to 3 sentences, and name the first step to take this week.
5. What would change my mind — the one fact or result that should make us reconsider.

Rules: be direct and honest, not diplomatic — if an option is weak, say so and why. Don't invent facts or numbers I didn't give you; if a key fact is missing, list it as an open question instead of guessing. Keep it under 350 words.
```

**Tip:** If the recommendation feels too cautious, reply "now argue the opposite case as hard as you can" — pressure-testing the brief against itself surfaces risks you'd otherwise miss.

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