Decision Toolkit Overview
Create structured decision support materials that help humans think through significant choices systematically. This skill produces interactive tools, not just analysis — empowering the decision-maker rather than deciding for them.
Philosophy Principles Guide, don't decide — Tools illuminate the decision space; humans choose One thing at a time — Reduce cognitive load through progressive disclosure Multiple lenses — Same decision viewed through different frameworks reveals blind spots Biases visible — Make cognitive biases explicit and checkable Actionable output — End with concrete next steps, not abstract conclusions Accessibility First Support screen readers (semantic HTML, ARIA labels) Keyboard navigable (tab order, focus states) High contrast by default (WCAG AA minimum) Reduced motion option Works without JavaScript (graceful degradation) Mobile-friendly touch targets (44px minimum) Cognitive Inclusivity
Different people process decisions differently:
Style Accommodation Analytical Numbers, matrices, weighted scores Intuitive Gut-check prompts, "how does this feel?" Visual Diagrams, progress bars, color coding Verbal Written summaries, question prompts Sequential Step-by-step wizard flow Global Dashboard overview option When to Use
Invoke this skill when user faces:
Collaboration/partnership decisions Career or job changes Investment of significant time/money Project prioritization Technology/tool selection Any choice with multiple factors and uncertainty
Not for: Trivial decisions, emergency responses, or when user just needs information.
Decision Types Type 1: Opportunity Evaluation
Should I pursue this opportunity?
Partnership, job offer, investment, project Type 2: Resource Allocation
Where should I invest my time/money/attention?
Prioritization, budgeting, focus areas Type 3: Risk Assessment
What could go wrong and is it worth it?
New ventures, changes, experiments Type 4: Trade-off Navigation
Which option among alternatives?
Tool selection, hire decisions, strategic choices The Decision Journey
Nine steps, each focused on one dimension:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 1. CONTEXT What is the decision? │ │ 2. FIRST PRINCIPLES Does this solve a real problem? │ │ 3. TIMING Is now the right moment? │ │ 4. STAKEHOLDERS Who else is involved? Are they stable? │ │ 5. BIASES What might cloud my judgment? │ │ 6. OPPORTUNITY COST What am I giving up? │ │ 7. SCENARIOS What could happen? │ │ 8. QUESTIONS What do I still need to learn? │ │ 9. SYNTHESIS Summary + decision │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Output Formats 1. Interactive HTML Guide (Primary)
Step-by-step wizard with:
Progress indicator One question per screen State persistence across steps Final summary aggregating all inputs Keyboard navigation Print-friendly CSS 2. Markdown Framework
For offline/text-based use:
Structured prompts Checkbox-style bias audit Fill-in-the-blank templates 3. Voice Summary
For audio consumption:
5-7 paragraph executive summary Orpheus TTS markup for emotional texture Key decision + rationale 4. PDF Report
For documentation/sharing:
Professional formatting All frameworks applied Appendix with raw analysis Frameworks Reference First Principles Test 1. What problem does this solve? 2. Can I solve it myself? 3. Is this the best solution? 4. What assumptions am I making? 5. If starting fresh today, would I choose this?
Bias Checklist □ FOMO — Am I afraid of missing out? □ Sunk Cost — Am I factoring past investment? □ Authority — Am I deferring to credentials? □ Social Proof — Am I following the crowd? □ Commitment — Do I feel locked in by past statements? □ Optimism — Am I assuming problems will resolve? □ Recency — Am I overweighting recent events? □ Confirmation — Am I seeking validating info only? □ Shiny Object — Is novelty distracting me? □ Loss Aversion — Am I overweighting potential losses?
Opportunity Cost Calculator Hours/week × Weeks × Hourly rate = Direct cost + What else could those hours produce? + What relationships/opportunities might suffer? = True opportunity cost
Scenario Matrix | Scenario | Probability | Outcome | Expected Value | |----------|-------------|---------|----------------| | Worst | X% | ... | ... | | Bad | X% | ... | ... | | Neutral | X% | ... | ... | | Good | X% | ... | ... | | Best | X% | ... | ... |
Pre-mortem Imagine it's [future date]. This decision failed. Why?
Possible causes: 1. ... 2. ... 3. ...
Which causes are within my control? Which warning signs should I watch for?
10-10-10 Framework How will I feel about this decision in: - 10 minutes? - 10 months? - 10 years?
Regret Minimization Imagine you're 80 looking back. Would you regret doing this? Would you regret NOT doing this?
Implementation Guide Step 1: Gather Context
Ask user for:
What is the decision? What are the options? What's the timeline? What's at stake? Any relevant background?
Or extract from existing documents (meeting transcripts, notes).
Step 2: Choose Output Format
Based on user preference and context:
Complex decision + time available → Interactive HTML Quick analysis → Markdown framework On-the-go consumption → Voice summary Need to share with others → PDF report Step 3: Generate Tool
Use templates in templates/ directory:
decision-guide-template.html — Full interactive wizard decision-framework.md — Text-based analysis decision-voice-summary.md — Audio script template Step 4: Customize
Replace placeholders:
{{DECISION_TITLE}} — What's being decided {{CONTEXT}} — Background information {{OPTIONS}} — Available choices {{STAKEHOLDERS}} — People/teams involved {{TIMELINE}} — Relevant dates {{FACTORS}} — Key evaluation criteria Step 5: Apply Branding (Optional)
If using Agency brand:
Import brand-agency skill CSS variables Use neobrutalism styling Apply Geist/EB Garamond typography Accessibility Implementation Semantic HTML
...
Keyboard Navigation // Ensure all interactive elements are focusable // Tab order follows visual order // Enter/Space activate buttons // Arrow keys navigate options
Screen Reader Announcements
Color Contrast / Minimum 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text / --text-on-light: #000000; / 21:1 on white / --text-on-dark: #ffffff; / 21:1 on black / --text-on-primary: #ffffff; / Check each color /
Reduced Motion @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { * { animation: none !important; transition: none !important; } }
Cultural Considerations Individualist Framing "What do YOU want?" Personal goals and values Individual opportunity cost Collectivist Framing "How does this affect your team/family?" Relationship implications Group harmony considerations Power Distance Awareness Some cultures defer to authority figures Bias check should include "Am I deferring inappropriately?" Include stakeholder perspectives explicitly Uncertainty Tolerance Some prefer detailed scenario analysis Others find it anxiety-inducing Offer both detailed and simplified views Example Invocations From Meeting Transcript User: Analyze this meeting transcript and create a decision toolkit Claude: [Extracts decision, stakeholders, options from transcript] [Generates interactive HTML guide] [Creates voice summary]
From Scratch User: I need to decide whether to take a new job offer Claude: [Asks clarifying questions] [Generates decision framework] [Customizes for career decision type]
Quick Analysis User: Help me think through this partnership decision, just give me the frameworks Claude: [Provides markdown framework] [Skips interactive tool] [Focuses on key questions]
Files SKILL.md — This file templates/decision-guide-template.html — Interactive wizard template templates/decision-framework.md — Text-based analysis template templates/decision-voice-summary.md — Audio script template references/bias-encyclopedia.md — Detailed bias descriptions references/framework-deep-dives.md — Extended framework explanations Integration
Works well with:
brand-agency — Apply visual branding transcript-analyzer — Extract decisions from meetings pdf-generation — Create shareable reports elevenlabs-tts — Generate audio summaries Learnings 2026-01-09
Context: Initial skill creation from Synthius decision session
Key Insight: Dashboard-everything-at-once overwhelms. Step-by-step wizard with one concept per screen dramatically improves usability.
Architecture: 9-step journey covering all major decision dimensions. State object persists selections across steps. Summary aggregates everything.
Accessibility Note: High contrast neobrutalism actually helps accessibility — clear borders, distinct states, no subtle gradients.