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

<main role="main" aria-label="Decision Guide">
  <nav aria-label="Progress">
    <ol role="list">...</ol>
  </nav>
  <section aria-labelledby="step-title">
    <h1 id="step-title">...</h1>
  </section>
</main>

Keyboard Navigation

// Ensure all interactive elements are focusable
// Tab order follows visual order
// Enter/Space activate buttons
// Arrow keys navigate options

Screen Reader Announcements

<div role="status" aria-live="polite" id="announcer">
  <!-- Announce step changes, selections, results -->
</div>

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.

decision-toolkit