| name | decision-logger |
| description | Capture decision traces — the reasoning behind key PM decisions. Use after PRD approvals, scope changes, launch/kill calls, prioritization shifts, or any significant product decision. |
Decision Logger
Capture the reasoning behind key product decisions as structured, append-only traces. This builds the "event clock" — the record of why things became true, not just what is true now.
When to Use
- After a PRD is approved or rejected
- After a scope change or pivot
- After a launch/kill/iterate decision on an experiment
- After a prioritization shift (quarterly planning, reprioritization)
- After a significant stakeholder alignment (exec review, cross-functional agreement)
- When asked "log this decision", "record why we decided this", or "decision trace"
Process
1. Identify the Decision
Ask if not obvious from context:
- What was decided? (1 sentence)
- What triggered this decision? (signal, meeting, data, escalation)
2. Capture the Trace
Gather the following — from conversation context, user input, or by asking:
- Decision: What was decided (1 sentence)
- Date: When the decision was made
- Context: What prompted this — the signal, conversation, or data point
- Alternatives considered: What other options were on the table (at least 2)
- Evidence: What data, insight, or customer signal drove the call
- Stakeholders: Who was involved, who approved, who dissented
- Expected outcome: What we expect to happen as a result
- Risk / reversal cost: How hard is this to undo if wrong
- Tags: strategic-pillar, metric, segment, experiment (for retrieval)
3. Write the Entry
Save to memory/decisions/YYYY-MM-DD_short-slug.md using this format:
# [Decision title]
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Type:** [PRD approval | Scope change | Launch/Kill | Prioritization | Alignment | Other]
**Tags:** [pillar, metric, segment]
## Decision
[1-2 sentences: what was decided]
## Context
[What prompted this — the trigger]
## Alternatives Considered
1. **[Option A]** — [brief description, why not chosen]
2. **[Option B]** — [brief description, why not chosen]
## Evidence
- [Data point, customer insight, or signal that drove the call]
## Stakeholders
- **Decision maker:** [who]
- **Consulted:** [who]
- **Informed:** [who]
## Expected Outcome
[What we expect to happen, and how we'll know]
## Risk / Reversal Cost
[How hard is this to undo — low/medium/high, and why]
4. Confirm with User
Show the drafted entry. Ask the user to confirm or adjust before saving.
Output
A timestamped decision trace saved to memory/decisions/. Append-only — never overwrite existing entries.
Over time, these traces enable:
- Recall: "Why did we decide X?"
- Pattern detection: "We've killed 3 pricing experiments in a row"
- Drift detection: "Strategy says X but decisions are moving toward Y"
- Counterfactual reasoning: "What if we'd chosen the alternative?"
