| name | aget-assess-tradeoffs |
| description | Analyze trade-offs between competing architectural concerns |
| archetype | architect |
| allowed-tools | ["Read","Glob","Grep"] |
aget-assess-tradeoffs
Analyze trade-offs between competing concerns and quality attributes. Provides structured decision support for architectural choices.
Instructions
When this skill is invoked:
-
Identify Competing Concerns
- List quality attributes in tension
- Document the options being considered
- Note constraints and context
-
Evaluate Options
- Rate each option against each quality attribute
- Use consistent scale (1-5 or Low/Med/High)
- Consider both immediate and long-term effects
-
Assess Reversibility
- Classify decisions: One-way door vs. Two-way door
- Note cost of changing later
- Identify lock-in risks
-
Formulate Recommendation
- Provide clear recommendation
- Explain trade-off resolution rationale
- Document rejected alternatives
Output Format
## Trade-off Analysis: [Decision Topic]
### Context
[What decision needs to be made and why]
### Competing Concerns
| Quality Attribute | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|-------------------|:--------:|:--------:|:--------:|
| Performance | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐ |
| Maintainability | ⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Cost | ⭐⭐ | ⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Time to Market | ⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
### Reversibility Assessment
| Option | Reversibility | Cost to Change | Lock-in Risk |
|--------|---------------|----------------|--------------|
| A | Low | High | Significant |
| B | High | Low | Minimal |
| C | Medium | Medium | Moderate |
### Recommendation
**Choose**: [Option X]
**Rationale**: [Why this trade-off resolution is appropriate given context]
**What We're Trading**: [Quality we're deprioritizing] for [Quality we're prioritizing]
### Rejected Alternatives
| Option | Why Rejected |
|--------|--------------|
| [Option Y] | [Specific reason] |
### Conditions for Revisiting
- Revisit if: [Condition that would change the analysis]
Constraints
- C1: NEVER pretend trade-offs don't exist — architectural honesty requires acknowledging costs
- C2: NEVER recommend without explaining trade-off resolution — recommendations need justification
- C3: NEVER treat all quality attributes as equally important — context determines priority
Related
- SKILL-019: aget-assess-tradeoffs specification
- ONTOLOGY_architect.yaml: Trade_off, Quality_Attribute, Decision concepts
- CAP-ARC-002: Trade-off Assessment capability