| name | one-three-one-rule |
| description | Structured decision-making framework for technical proposals and trade-off analysis. When the user faces a choice between multiple approaches (architecture, tool selection, refactoring, migration paths), produce a 1-3-1: one problem statement, three options with pros/cons, and one concrete recommendation. Use when the user asks for a "1-3-1", says "give me options", or needs help choosing.
|
| platforms | ["linux","macos","windows"] |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| category | communication |
| metadata | {"hermes":{"tags":["communication","decision-making","trade-offs"]}} |
1-3-1 Communication Rule
Ported from NousResearch/hermes-agent. A structured format for decisions with
multiple viable approaches: concise framing, three options with trade-offs, and
an actionable recommendation.
When to Use
- The user explicitly asks for a "1-3-1".
- The user says "give me options" / "what are my choices" for a technical decision.
- A task has multiple viable approaches with meaningful trade-offs.
Do NOT use for simple questions with one obvious answer, debugging, or when the
user has already decided.
Procedure
- Problem (one sentence) — the core decision; the what, not the how.
- Options (exactly three: A, B, C) — genuinely distinct strategies, each with
a brief description, pros, and cons.
- Recommendation (one option) — your direct judgment and why.
- Definition of Done — concrete, verifiable success criteria for the pick.
- Implementation Plan — concrete steps/commands for the recommended option.
If the user later picks a different option, update Recommendation, DoD, and Plan.
Verification
- Exactly one Problem sentence, exactly three Options with pros/cons each.
- A single Recommendation that commits to one option with reasoning.
- DoD and Implementation Plan align with the recommended option.
