Good recommendations show options
When the decision matters, present a small number of viable options and explain the trade-offs. A recommendation should be connected to the client's priorities.
| Question | Practical answer | |
|---|---|---|
| Option A | Fastest short-term fix | Lower immediate cost; may preserve technical debt |
| Option B | Targeted improvement | Moderate effort; addresses root cause in a bounded way |
| Option C | Platform / architecture change | Higher initial effort; may improve scalability and reduce recurring constraints |
Use decision criteria
- Business value
- Time to value
- Total cost
- Risk
- Scalability
- Operational fit
- Reversibility
Not every criterion needs a numerical score. Often a clear qualitative comparison is enough to expose the decision.
01Options
02Criteria
03Trade-offs
04Recommendation
05Decision
06Next step