Deliberating a decision.

A guide for discussing making a decision.

This guide contains a set of questions that will reliably move you through a decision defining and recording process. This avoids constantly reviewing questions that have been settled.

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Process.

Work through these steps in order during your meeting and write down the answers as you go. Use the detailed section below if the discussion gets stuck.

Title	Headline
Background	What happened before this?
Friction	What's the problem we need to fix?
Decision question	What exactly are we deciding?
Options	What are our other choices?
Key requirements	What matters most to us here?
Decision	What is the decision?
Why	Why does this option win?
Review triggers	When should we look at it again?
Next steps	What is still left to do?

Interruptions If people interrupt or debate prematurely, point back to the guide and remind them that there is a specific time for every part of the conversation.

Silence is a sign If the room goes quiet, it usually means the question is too vague or people are overwhelmed. Go back to the decision question and try rephrasing it.

Write it where people can see it If meeting in person or online, share your screen or use a whiteboard to write the answers live. This stops people from repeating themselves.