# decision-memo

Turns a pending choice into a written memo: context, options, a recommendation, risks and reversibility. Useful when a decision needs a record.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 664 installs · ★ 3
- Author: gasserane
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/gasserane/personal-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/decision-memo/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/decision-memo

## What it does

The skill fires on requests for a decision memo, decision doc, options paper or recommendation brief. What comes back is a single page of 400–500 words, split into the decision required, context, options, recommendation, risks and next steps. Every option carries a label, a one-line description, pros, cons, a reversibility rating and its cost in whichever currency matters most.

Before drafting, it asks for missing inputs in one batch. Three are mandatory: the decision phrased as a question, who decides and by when, and what changed to force the choice now. Options already on the table, constraints and success criteria are optional — leave them out and the skill generates 2–4 of its own. Withhold the first three and it will not draft at all.

Writing style is pulled from `CLAUDE.md`: active voice, sentences under 25 words, concrete verbs, no filler and no hedging. Point it at an existing file by path and ask for revisions, and an edit-preservation protocol kicks in — the skill reads the file, changes only the scoped section through the Edit tool, and leaves everything else byte-identical. It does not invent facts or figures; a missing fact gets flagged with `⚠️ Data gap:`. Start with one small decision to see the shape of the output.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gasserane/personal-skills --skill decision-memo -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/decision-memo/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/decision-memo/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gasserane/personal-skills --skill decision-memo -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/decision-memo/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gasserane/personal-skills --skill decision-memo -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/decision-memo/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install gasserane/personal-skills decision-memo
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/decision-memo/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gasserane/personal-skills --skill decision-memo -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/gasserane/personal-skills --path skills/decision-memo
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/decision-memo/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gasserane/personal-skills --skill decision-memo -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/gasserane/personal-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/decision-memo/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- put a decision on record instead of keeping it in your head
- weigh 2–4 options with pros, cons and the cost of each
- judge whether the chosen path can be undone and what that costs
- lay out second-order risks with probability, mitigation and an owner
- list next steps with who does what and by when

## Example prompts
- Draft a decision memo: Postgres or SQLite for the new service, Ane decides by Friday.
- Write an options paper on moving to the new billing system, constraints are budget and team capacity.
- Improve the memo at `docs/decision-auth.md` and keep the rest of the file unchanged.

## Similar
- [architecture-decision-record](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/architecture-decision-record.md) — skill · 1500 installs
- [decision-toolkit](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/decision-toolkit.md) — skill · 317 installs
- [architecture-decision-records](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/affaan-m-architecture-decision-records.md) — skill · 4900 installs
- [decision-records](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/decision-records.md) — skill · 6900 installs
- [decision-doc-sync](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/decision-doc-sync.md) — skill · 3000 installs
- [architecture-decision](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/donchitos-architecture-decision.md) — skill · 446 installs

From the same set: [gasserane/personal-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/gasserane/personal-skills.md) — 13 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md