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Business · Intermediate

Decision Memo

Decision Memo is a practical, reusable AI prompt for business, template, practical. For “Decision Memo”, interpret this guidance in the context of the real task rather than as a generic prompting rule: This expanded guide turns the prompt page into a complete working reference: what to prepare, how to use the prompt, how to improve the first response and how to validate the final result.

When to use this prompt

When using “Decision Memo”, apply this prompt-specific requirement: use it when you need a repeatable result with clear constraints instead of a vague one-line instruction. To improve “Decision Memo”, connect this principle to the requested format and downstream use: Before starting, define the business or personal objective, the intended audience, relevant background information and the exact deliverable you expect.

Information to provide

  • Objective: state the outcome, decision or asset you need.
  • Context: When using “Decision Memo”, apply this prompt-specific requirement: provide facts, source material and background the model must respect.
  • Audience: identify who will read, approve or act on the result.
  • Constraints: To improve “Decision Memo”, define this point for the actual input and output: specify tone, scope, length, exclusions, policies or brand requirements.
  • Output structure: For “Decision Memo”, use this task-specific prompting checkpoint: request the exact headings, steps, fields, table columns or format you need.
  • Acceptance criteria: describe what a useful final answer must include.

Step-by-step usage

For “Decision Memo”, make this instruction specific to the requested result: replace every placeholder with concrete information before submitting the prompt. For “Decision Memo”, apply this guidance to the exact input, audience and output required: Run the first version, then compare the response against the acceptance criteria rather than judging it only by fluency. When using “Decision Memo”, make this checkpoint specific to the source material and acceptance criteria: If something is missing, make a targeted follow-up request that identifies the exact section and correction required.

Refinement strategy

For “Decision Memo”, use this task-specific prompting checkpoint: for style-sensitive work, provide a short example of the desired voice or format. To improve “Decision Memo”, connect this principle to the requested format and downstream use: For fact-sensitive work, supply authoritative source material and ask the model to distinguish supplied facts from assumptions or recommendations. For “Decision Memo”, interpret this guidance in the context of the real task rather than as a generic prompting rule: Ask for alternatives only when they help the decision; otherwise keep the model focused on improving the selected direction.

Model and difficulty guidance

This prompt is classified as intermediate. Listed model guidance: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini. Related topics include business, template, practical. When using “Decision Memo”, make this checkpoint specific to the source material and acceptance criteria: Different assistants may interpret the same wording differently, so preserve the objective, inputs, constraints and output specification when adapting it.

Accuracy and safety checks

AI output can contain outdated or invented details. When using “Decision Memo”, make this checkpoint specific to the source material and acceptance criteria: Independently verify important names, dates, figures, quotations, links and claims. For “Decision Memo”, apply this guidance to the exact input, audience and output required: For legal, medical, financial, security or other high-impact decisions, use appropriate qualified review rather than relying on generated text alone.

Final checklist

  • All placeholders contain real information.
  • To improve “Decision Memo”, define this point for the actual input and output: the response addresses the stated objective and audience.
  • The requested structure and constraints were followed.
  • Important factual claims were checked.
  • Unsupported assumptions were corrected or removed.
  • When using “Decision Memo”, apply this prompt-specific requirement: the final output was edited for clarity, relevance and practical use.
ChatGPT Claude Gemini
Full prompt

Prompt text

Act as a strategy analyst preparing a decision memo.

DECISION
{decision}

OBJECTIVE
Produce a concise decision document that makes reasoning and uncertainty visible.

INCLUDE:

1. Decision required
2. Context
3. Decision deadline if supplied
4. Stakeholders
5. Evaluation criteria
6. Options
7. Evidence available
8. Evidence missing
9. Risks
10. Reversibility
11. Recommendation
12. Open questions

FOR EACH OPTION:
- description
- benefits
- drawbacks
- cost/resources if known
- risks
- dependencies
- evidence
- uncertainty
- reversibility

DO NOT:
- invent numbers
- hide weak evidence
- turn assumptions into facts
- recommend an option merely because it sounds modern or innovative

OUTPUT FORMAT

# Decision Memo

## Decision Required
## Executive Recommendation
## Context
## Evaluation Criteria
## Options Analysis
## Evidence
## Risks
## Reversibility
## Open Questions
## Recommended Next Step

End with:
Confidence in recommendation: High / Medium / Low
Reason:
Most important missing evidence:
Expected structure

What a useful answer should look like

A concise decision memo with options, criteria, evidence, risks, reversibility, recommendation, open questions and an explicit confidence assessment.
Use responsibly

How to get a better result

Add real context

Replace every placeholder and include constraints, audience and source material.

Verify claims

Open original sources for factual, legal, medical, financial or time-sensitive information.

Iterate deliberately

Ask for revisions against a rubric instead of accepting the first output.

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