Decision framework

Decision Framework Builder

Structures expert judgment into repeatable, auditable decision systems for recurring high-stakes choices.

When to Use

Activate when:

• User asks "how should we handle X cases?" or "build triage system"
• Designing escalation protocols or case management workflows
• Billing ops, support, returns, incident response, compliance decisions
• Any domain with classified decision types and routing rules

Phase Anchor

Phase: 1 (Plan) — Produces a decision framework document. Handoff: Developer agent implements the decision logic in code.

Failure Handling

• Domain unclear: Ask user for 3 example cases. Derive taxonomy from examples.
• No domain expert available: Flag output as needs-expert-input. Mark uncertain classifications explicitly.

Process (7 Steps)

Step 1: Identify Decision Type

Clarify the recurring decision being structured. What is decided? Who decides? How often?

Step 2: Build Classification Taxonomy

Load references/decision-tree-template.md. Map every case type into mutually exclusive categories. Aim for 3-7 top-level buckets — too few collapses distinct cases, too many creates lookup overhead.

Step 3: Define Sequential Decision Rules

Order rules by: Safety > Compliance > Economics > Speed. Never let speed override safety. Document the reasoning for each rule's position in the sequence.

Step 4: Create Weighted Scoring

Load references/weighted-scoring-guide.md. Define 3-5 factors with weights summing to 100%. Calibrate against 3 historical cases.

Step 5: Define Escalation Protocol

Load references/escalation-protocol-template.md. Map 4 escalation levels: Expert → Manager → Director → VP. Each level must have authority scope, timeline, and escalation trigger.

Step 6: Add Communication Templates

Load references/communication-patterns.md. Select tone per relationship state: Routine / Significant / Crisis. Customize placeholders.

Step 7: Document Edge Cases

Load references/edge-case-discovery.md. Collect edge cases from team ("what surprised you?"). Document each as: situation → why obvious approach fails → correct approach.

References

File	Purpose
references/decision-tree-template.md	Domain-agnostic taxonomy + rules template
references/escalation-protocol-template.md	4-level escalation with authority/timeline/triggers
references/weighted-scoring-guide.md	Multi-factor scoring + calibration method
references/communication-patterns.md	3 tones with example templates
references/edge-case-discovery.md	Edge case collection and documentation process
references/examples/example-returns-triage.md	Worked example: returns processing
references/examples/example-billing-ops.md	Worked example: billing operations
references/examples/example-incident-response.md	Worked example: security incidents

Output Format

Produce a decision framework document with:

1. Domain Summary — what is being decided, frequency, stakes
2. Classification Taxonomy — case types and definitions
3. Decision Rules — ordered Safety → Compliance → Economics → Speed
4. Scoring Matrix — weighted factors with calibration notes
5. Escalation Protocol — 4-level table
6. Communication Templates — one per tone
7. Edge Case Playbook — 2-3 sentence entries per known exception

Gotchas

• Do not merge case types that have different decision rules — keep taxonomy granular
• Scoring weights must sum to 100%; calibrate on real cases, not hypothetical ones
• Escalation timelines must be specific (hours, not "soon")
• Edge cases are not exceptions to document and ignore — they are the most important cases to get right