Practical Guides
What an Actionable Decision Brief Should Contain
Seven parts make a complex discussion possible to review, decide, and revisit on one page.
Establish shared boundaries
A brief keeps participants focused on one question. Aim for a ten minute read with enough evidence to support the choice.
Seven parts
1. Decision sentence
Begin with "We need to decide whether or how..."
2. Why now
Explain the trigger, deadline, and cost of delay.
3. Success conditions
List outcomes to protect, such as timing, reversibility, or customer impact.
4. Known facts
Include directly relevant data, interviews, and constraints with source links.
5. Options
Include taking no action for now. Describe benefits, costs, and irreversible parts.
6. Required input
Assign each question to particular people.
7. Decision and review
Record the decision maker, reasons, date, and review triggers.
Keep it readable
Put extensive background into attachments or the evidence library so readers understand the choice first.
After input closes, Slatepath templates collapse discussion and bring the conclusion to the top while retaining history.