Decision Memo With Risks And Options AI Prompt
Making a high-stakes decision gets messy fast. Notes sit in docs, stakeholders disagree, and risks stay vague until launch week.
A strong prompt forces clarity. You define the decision, list real options, set evaluation criteria, and surface trade-offs before you commit. That structure helps your AI produce a memo you can actually share.
AskSmarter.ai gets you there by asking a few focused questions about your audience, constraints, and success metrics. Then it builds a complete prompt you can reuse across decisions.
You’ll spend less time debating opinions and more time aligning on the best path forward.
The transformation
Before — Vague prompt
Write a decision memo about whether we should build this feature or not.
After — Optimized prompt
You’re a senior product strategist. Write a 1-page decision memo for our exec team about whether we should ship Feature X this quarter.
- Context: B2B SaaS, 25-person team, Q2 goal is +15% net revenue retention.
- Options (3): build now, delay 1 quarter, don’t build.
- Criteria: revenue impact, churn risk, engineering effort, time-to-value, support load.
- Constraints: 6 engineers, 10 weeks, must meet SOC2 controls.
Use a direct tone. Include a risk table with likelihood/impact, a recommendation, and a 30/60/90-day plan.
Why this works
The “before” prompt asks for a decision memo, but it leaves the AI guessing the audience, stakes, and options. That usually produces a generic doc with weak trade-offs.
The “after” prompt gets better output because you provide:
- Clear role and audience so the memo matches exec expectations.
- Specific context and goals so the recommendation ties to business outcomes.
- Defined options and criteria so the AI compares choices the same way you would.
- Real constraints so the plan stays feasible and compliant.
- Required format so you get a memo you can paste into an email or doc.
AskSmarter.ai helps by asking the exact questions most people skip, like who approves the decision, what metrics matter, and what limits you can’t break. That turns a vague request into a reusable prompt that drives alignment.
When to use this prompt
Product Managers Preparing Go/No-Go Decisions
Turn scattered discovery notes into a structured memo that compares options and lands on a recommendation.
Engineering Leaders Evaluating Build vs. Buy
Frame alternatives with effort, timeline, and risk so stakeholders stop debating based on gut feel.
Marketing Teams Prioritizing Campaign Investments
Compare 3 campaign paths using agreed criteria like pipeline impact, lift, and delivery capacity.
Customer Success Leaders Handling Policy Changes
Assess policy options with customer impact, support load, and churn risk before rolling out changes.
Pro tips
- 1
Define the single decision in one sentence so the memo stays focused.
- 2
Specify 3-5 evaluation criteria you already use so the comparison feels credible.
- 3
Add hard constraints like headcount, deadlines, and compliance needs to prevent unrealistic plans.
- 4
Name the approval audience and their top metric so the recommendation matches what they value.
More analysis & research examples
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Build a prompt for your situation
This example shows the pattern. AskSmarter.ai guides you to create prompts tailored to your specific context, audience, and goals.