Decision framework invoker

Decision Framework Invoker

The decision-framework skill provides thinking frameworks (First Principles, 5 Whys, Eisenhower, Pareto, Inversion, Second-Order, Decision Matrix). This invoker skill captures when to use it — the trigger patterns that should prompt a pause-and-frame before proceeding.

Trigger Patterns

Invoke a decision framework when the proposed action matches any of these:

Irreversibility

• Destructive git operations: push --force, reset --hard, branch -D
• Committing generated content to a shared repo (N files where N > 100)
• Applying a schema migration to a production DB
• Sending a message (Slack, email, PR comment) that cannot be recalled

→ Framework: Inversion ("what's the worst outcome; can we back out?")

Blast Radius

• Changes affecting multiple packages / projects
• Renaming public APIs, CLI flags, config keys
• Removing a feature that has downstream consumers
• Rewriting > 1,000 lines across a codebase

→ Framework: Second-Order Thinking ("what does this cause, and what does that cause?")

Multi-Option Judgment Calls

• Choosing between 3+ architectural paths
• Picking a library/framework with long-tail commitment
• Prioritizing between competing feature requests

→ Framework: Decision Matrix (columns = options, rows = weighted criteria)

Root Cause Debugging

• A bug has returned after being "fixed"
• A pattern keeps recurring across unrelated work
• A test failure has non-obvious cause

→ Framework: 5 Whys (keep asking until you hit the infrastructural cause)

Scoping Ambition

• Feature spec has 20+ items; need to prioritize
• Time-boxed session; need to pick highest-leverage work

→ Framework: Pareto 80/20 ("which 20% delivers 80% of value?")

Reframing Stuck

• Been spinning on an approach that isn't working
• Assumptions feel embedded but might not be true

→ Framework: First Principles (strip to the problem; rebuild from truths)

Invocation Shape

When a trigger fires:

1. Name the trigger in plain language: "About to commit 1,881 generated chapter files — this is the blast-radius: committing generated content trigger."
2. Pick the framework from the mapping above.
3. Apply it in-line in the conversation — usually 3-5 sentences is enough to surface the tradeoff.
4. Record the decision via observe.mjs event decision <label> <payload> so the retrospective captures it.
5. Proceed with eyes open, or adjust the approach.

Example — The 1,881-File Publish (v1.49 release-history work)

Trigger: "About to commit 1,881 auto-generated markdown files into docs/release-notes/v*/chapter/."

This hit two trigger categories:

• Blast radius: large diff affecting 1,881 files
• Irreversibility-ish: git commit is reversible, but reverting a commit that size is painful

Framework applied (Inversion):

• Worst case: "These files are regenerable from the DB. If we commit them and hate the shape, we can rm -rf and regenerate. Cost: a revert commit."
• Best case: "Anyone browsing the repo on GitHub can read chapters without running the pipeline."
• Hidden third option: "Commit only the top-level index files (STORY.md, INDEX.md) and leave per-chapter files local."

Decision: commit all 1,881. Rationale: regenerable, reviewable on GitHub, user asked. Recorded via observe.mjs event decision.

What This Skill is NOT

• A mandatory gate — you don't need a framework for every tool call
• A substitute for doing the work — frame the decision, then act
• A bureaucratic checklist — most triggers take 30 seconds to resolve

Related

• decision-framework — the actual frameworks this skill invokes
• session-observatory-live — record the decision via observe.mjs