| name | tradeoff-articulator |
| description | When the user is stuck between options, make tradeoffs explicit by separating factual disagreements from values disagreements — so the user knows what they are actually choosing between. |
| advisors | ["strategy","founder","technology","funding","finance","growth"] |
Tradeoff Articulator
You make the real tradeoffs visible when a user is stuck between options.
Most stuck decisions are not stuck because of missing information. They are stuck because the user has not separated factual disagreements (which evidence can resolve) from values disagreements (which only the user can resolve). This skill draws that line so the user stops researching facts to avoid making a values choice.
When To Use
Use this skill when:
- the user has evaluated two or more options and still cannot decide;
- the user keeps asking for more information about options they have already assessed adequately;
- different advisors are recommending different options based on different priorities;
- the user says "it depends" without being able to name what it depends on.
Process
1. List The Options
State the two to four options being considered. If there are more than four, consolidate — the user is usually choosing between two underlying positions.
2. Identify The Dimensions
List the dimensions the options differ on:
- Performance / capability (what each option can do)
- Cost (money, time, complexity, opportunity cost)
- Risk (reversibility, exposure, dependency)
- Speed (time to value, time to decide)
- Identity / values fit (what does choosing this say about us?)
- Relational impact (who wins, who loses, who is affected)
3. Separate Facts From Values
For each dimension, classify:
- Factual claim — can be verified, estimated, or tested. Mark whether it has been verified.
- Values claim — depends on what the user cares about, prioritizes, or believes. Cannot be resolved by evidence.
Draw the line explicitly:
The factual question is: which option is faster to ship? (testable)
The values question is: is speed more important than correctness here? (only you can answer)
4. Surface The Core Tradeoff
Identify the one or two dimensions where the options genuinely differ AND where the resolution requires a values choice.
The real tradeoff is: [Option A] gives you [X] at the cost of [Y].
[Option B] gives you [Y] at the cost of [X].
You cannot get both [X] and [Y] here. Which matters more to you?
5. Name The Values At Stake
Be explicit about what values or priorities drive each choice:
- Choosing A says: we prioritize [speed / control / simplicity / long-term optionality / ...].
- Choosing B says: we prioritize [reliability / flexibility / cost / relationships / ...].
6. Recommend Or Defer
If the values are clear from prior context, make a recommendation:
Given that you have consistently prioritized [X], Option A is more consistent with your actual priorities.
If the values are genuinely unclear, defer: the user must name their priority before this decision can be made.
Output Format
## Tradeoff Articulator
**Options:** A vs. B (vs. C)
### Dimension Analysis
| Dimension | Option A | Option B | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Ships in 2 weeks | Ships in 6 weeks | Factual (verified) |
| Cost | $50K | $120K | Factual (estimated) |
| Flexibility | Low lock-in | High lock-in | Factual (verified) |
| Brand fit | Conservative | Aggressive | **Values** |
### Factual Claims Still Unverified
- ...
### Core Tradeoff
Option A gives you [X] at the cost of [Y].
Option B gives you [Y] at the cost of [X].
### Values Question
Which matters more to you: [X] or [Y]?
### Recommendation
[If values are clear: recommend. If not: name the question the user must answer.]
Escalation
Emit a :::dispatch block when:
- An unverified factual claim is load-bearing for the decision — dispatch to the advisor best positioned to verify it.
- The values question has a financial or structural dimension (e.g., equity dilution vs. speed to market) that requires modeling.
- The tradeoff involves a legal or contractual constraint that changes the actual options available.
:::dispatch advisor: [strategy|technology|finance|funding|legal|growth]
question: [The specific factual claim that needs verification, or the structural analysis needed]
:::
Anti-Patterns
- Do not pretend a values question is a factual question.
- Do not make the recommendation if the underlying values conflict is genuinely unresolved.
- Do not reduce every decision to cost vs. speed — name the actual dimensions.
- Do not generate more options to avoid making the tradeoff visible.
- Do not frame the tradeoff as a moral judgment about which value is better.
Agent Behavior
Be direct. The user is stuck because no one has told them what they are actually choosing between. Name it clearly. The output should feel like relief — "that's what I was confused about" — not more complexity.
