# Decision Type Classifier > Classify decisions by reversibility (Type 1 vs Type 2) and recommend the appropriate decision-making process. Prevents organizations from applying heavy process to lightweight decisions. - Skill: `sethmblack/decision-type-classifier` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add sethmblack/decision-type-classifier` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/sethmblack/decision-type-classifier/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - License: MIT - Author: sethmblack (https://skillmd.com/u/sethmblack) - Updated: 2026-09-08 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/sethmblack/decision-type-classifier --- # Decision Type Classifier Classify decisions by reversibility (Type 1 vs Type 2) and recommend the appropriate decision-making process. Prevents organizations from applying heavy process to lightweight decisions. --- ## When to Use - User asks "How should we decide this?" - Team is stuck in analysis paralysis - Organization is moving too slowly - Questions about decision-making process - Request to classify decision type --- ## Inputs | Input | Required | Description | |-------|----------|-------------| | decision | Yes | The decision being considered | | context | No | Stakes, timeline, resources involved | | constraints | No | Factors limiting options | --- ## Workflow ### Step 1: Type 1 Decisions (One-Way Doors) **Characteristics:** - Irreversible or nearly irreversible - Consequential - significant resources, reputation, or strategic direction at stake - High cost of being wrong - Cannot easily undo if the decision proves incorrect **Examples:** - Major acquisitions - Shutting down a business line - Entering a highly regulated market - Fundamental technology architecture choices - Key executive hires - Large capital investments **Appropriate Process:** - Extensive deliberation - Multiple perspectives and stakeholders - Detailed analysis - Senior leadership involvement - Take time to get it right - Document reasoning thoroughly ### Step 2: Type 2 Decisions (Two-Way Doors) **Characteristics:** - Reversible - Can be changed or undone if wrong - Limited blast radius if incorrect - Learning opportunity if it fails **Examples:** - Most product features - Pricing experiments - Marketing campaigns - Process changes - Tool selections - Hiring for most roles **Appropriate Process:** - Fast decision by individual or small team - 70% information rule (don't wait for certainty) - Bias for action - Course correct if wrong - Document decision for learning ### Step 3: The 70% Rule For Type 2 decisions: "If you wait for 90% of the information, in most cases, you're probably being slow." Make the decision when you have about 70% of the information you wish you had. The cost of delay often exceeds the cost of being wrong. ### Step 4: The Bezos Warning "As organizations get large, there seems to be a tendency to use the heavy-weight Type 1 decision-making process on most decisions, including many Type 2 decisions. The end result of this is slowness, unthoughtful risk aversion, failure to experiment sufficiently, and consequently diminished invention." --- ## Classification Criteria ### Reversibility Test | Question | Type 1 Indicator | Type 2 Indicator | |----------|-----------------|------------------| | Can we undo this in 6 months? | No or very costly | Yes, relatively easily | | What's the cost of reversal? | Very high | Low to moderate | | Does it lock in future choices? | Significantly | Not really | | Can we test at small scale first? | No | Yes | ### Consequence Test | Question | Type 1 Indicator | Type 2 Indicator | |----------|-----------------|------------------| | What's at stake financially? | Significant % of resources | Small % of resources | | Impact on customer trust if wrong? | High | Low | | Impact on strategic direction? | Changes trajectory | Doesn't change trajectory | | Reputational risk? | Significant | Minimal | ### Surprising Classifications Some decisions that seem Type 1 are actually Type 2: - Amazon Prime at launch (could have been wound down) - AWS at launch (could have been shut down) - Most new features (can be removed) - New market entry (can exit if not working) The question is not "Is this important?" but "Is this reversible?" --- ## Output Format ```markdown ## Decision Classification ### Decision [Restate the decision] ### Classification: [TYPE 1 / TYPE 2] ### Reasoning **Reversibility Assessment:** - [Can it be undone?] - [Cost of reversal] - [Lock-in effects] **Consequence Assessment:** - [Financial stakes] - [Customer impact] - [Strategic impact] ### Recommended Process **Decision makers:** [Who should decide] **Information needed:** [What to gather, respecting 70% rule for Type 2] **Timeline:** [How quickly to decide] **Documentation:** [What to record] ### Watch Out For [Common mistakes for this decision type] ### If This Were the Opposite Type [What would change if this were actually Type 1/Type 2] ``` --- ## Constraints - Do not default to Type 1 out of caution - Reversibility is the key criterion, not importance - Consider what happens if you're wrong - Speed has value; delay has cost - "We need more data" is often Day 2 thinking in disguise --- ## Outputs **Primary Output:** A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data. **Format:** ```markdown ## Analysis: [Topic] ### Key Findings - [Finding 1] - [Finding 2] - [Finding 3] ### Recommendations 1. [Action 1] 2. [Action 2] 3. [Action 3] ``` **Example output:** See the Example section below for a complete demonstration. ## Additional Notes **Best practices:** - Use this skill when the situation clearly matches its intended use cases - Combine with related skills for comprehensive analysis - Iterate on outputs if initial results don't fully meet requirements **Common variations:** - Adjust the depth of analysis based on available time and information - Scale the approach for different levels of complexity - Adapt the output format to audience needs **When to skip this skill:** - The situation doesn't match the core use cases - Simpler approaches would be more appropriate - Time constraints require faster methods ## Example **Input:** "We're debating whether to switch our customer support from email to chat-first. Should we treat this as a big strategic decision?" **Output:** **Why this works:** This example demonstrates the key principles of the skill in action. The approach is effective because: - It follows the systematic workflow outlined above - It shows concrete application of the framework - It produces actionable, specific outputs rather than vague generalizations - The analysis is grounded in observable details - The recommendations are prioritized and implementable **Alternative applications:** This same approach can be applied to: - Different contexts within the same domain - Related but distinct problem types - Scaled up or down depending on scope - Combined with complementary analytical frameworks ## Decision Classification ### Decision Switch customer support from email-first to chat-first. ### Classification: TYPE 2 ### Reasoning **Reversibility Assessment:** - Can it be undone? Yes - can revert to email-first within weeks - Cost of reversal: Moderate - some retraining, system reconfiguration - Lock-in effects: None significant - not changing underlying technology **Consequence Assessment:** - Financial stakes: Implementation cost, not existential - Customer impact: Temporary adjustment; customers can still email - Strategic impact: Operational change, not strategic direction change ### Recommended Process **Decision makers:** Head of Customer Support with input from 2-3 senior support reps **Information needed:** - Current channel preferences from recent tickets (you have this) - Chat tool costs (get quote this week) - Don't need: Exhaustive customer survey, competitive analysis, board approval **Timeline:** Decide within 5 business days **Documentation:** Brief memo on reasoning, success metrics, 90-day review date ### Watch Out For - Don't form a committee - this is a Type 2 decision being treated as Type 1 - Don't survey customers extensively - observe behavior instead - Don't wait for perfect data on chat effectiveness - run a pilot - Don't require unanimous agreement - disagree and commit ### If This Were Actually Type 1 This would be Type 1 if: - You were eliminating email support entirely with no path back - You were signing a 5-year exclusive contract with a chat vendor - Chat-first was part of a fundamental repositioning of your brand - The cost of the chat system was material to company finances None of those apply here. This is a Type 2 decision being over-processed. **Recommendation:** Make the decision this week. Run chat-first as a pilot with 30% of tickets. Measure. Adjust. Expand or revert based on data. Stop debating. --- ## Integration This skill is part of the **Jeff Bezos** expert persona. Use it when organizations are slow, stuck, or treating reversible decisions with irreversible-decision gravity.