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Use when about to recommend or commit to a decision - forces naming an alternative considered and the reason it lost
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Based on SOC occupation classification
Use when the meta-builder routes to kind=discipline. Generates a discipline spell with the rule, excuses table, warning signs, and hard gates.
Use when the user wants to capture a repeatable task as a reusable spell, or asks "how do I build a workflow / skill / framework for X"
Use when the meta-builder routes to kind=subagent. Generates a spell that dispatches one or more subagents to do work in parallel or in isolation.
Use when the meta-builder routes to kind=workflow. Generates a workflow spell with explicit stages, checkpoints, and loop-back conditions.
Use when composing multiple spells into a chain that runs end-to-end (e.g. brainstorm -> plan -> execute -> verify).
Use when browsing what spells are available - bundled seeds, your personal library, or both. Filter by kind, audience, or update status.
| name | decisions-need-an-alternative |
| description | Use when about to recommend or commit to a decision - forces naming an alternative considered and the reason it lost |
| kind | discipline |
| audience | anyone |
| ai-tools | any |
| complexity | simple |
| time | 2-5 min added to any decision |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| source | bundled |
Forces every decision to name at least one explicit alternative that was considered and the reason it lost. Prevents the "obvious choice" trap that's the source of most preventable bad calls.
The decision PLUS an explicit "considered alternative" with reason rejected.
This is a discipline. The behavioral structure is: a non-negotiable rule (below), an excuses-and-counters table to defeat rationalizations, warning signs to spot the moment of risk, and a hard gate that fires before declaring the decision. Apply the gate at every decision; name an alternative or pause.
No decision is final without naming at least one alternative considered and the specific reason it was rejected.
| If you think... | Reality |
|---|---|
| "There's an obvious choice" | "Obvious" is the rationalization that costs the most. Name an alternative. |
| "I considered alternatives in my head" | If they're not written down, they don't count. Write them. |
| "We're in a hurry" | The cost of a bad decision is bigger than the cost of writing one alternative. |
| "There's no real alternative" | "Do nothing" is always an alternative. So is "wait a week." Name one. |
| "Everyone agrees on this" | Universal agreement is a warning sign, not a green light. Name the dissent. |
| "This is reversible, doesn't need rigor" | Reversible decisions still benefit from one named alternative. 30 seconds. |
Without skill: "We should switch to vendor Acme."
With skill: STOP. Name an alternative. "We could stay with current vendor Beta and renegotiate. We rejected this because Beta's last proposal increased price by 30% with no roadmap concessions, and the renegotiation would consume Q3 cycles we need elsewhere." Now declare the decision: switch to Acme.
