A decision brief, in detail.
A short engagement to make one business question specific enough to discuss, decide or investigate further.
What is included.
Begin by agreeing the exact question and the people who need to contribute. The sample scope covers one issue, a bounded set of existing materials and one written decision paper.
- A discovery conversation to define the boundary and decision owner.
- A review of the relevant materials agreed in the scope.
- A working session to examine options and unresolved assumptions.
- A draft paper and one consolidated round of corrections.
- A handover conversation to record the next step and its owner.
Research beyond the agreed materials, implementation and continued advisory support are excluded unless added to the proposal.
Inside the working paper.
The question
What needs a decision, by whom, and within what constraints?
The record
Which facts have a source? Which statements are assumptions? What evidence is still needed?
The options
What are the practical alternatives, including postponing a decision? What trade-offs belong beside each?
The next step
What was agreed, who owns it, and when should the question be revisited?
Your part in the work.
Nominate a decision owner and a contact who can coordinate materials and feedback. Make sure you have permission to share documents and remove unnecessary personal information.
Invite people who understand the work. Identify any specialist advice needed. Review the draft for factual accuracy and provide one agreed set of corrections.
Timing depends on the scope, access to information and participant availability. Insert your actual schedule, fees and payment terms in the proposal rather than relying on this demonstration.
Before you commission it.
What if the question changes?
Pause and restate the scope. Record what changed, its effect on the work and any revised terms before proceeding.
Who makes the final decision?
Your appointed decision owner. The paper supports their judgment and records uncertainty; it does not make the choice for them.