/reversible-decisions

name: reversible-decisions
description: "Know when to move fast and when to move carefully. Master Jeff Bezos' framework for distinguishing high-stakes irreversible decisions from low-stakes reversible ones. Use when: **Prioritizing decisions** to know where to invest time; **Team empowerment** to understand what to delegate vs. escalate; **Avoiding analysis paralysis** on decisions that don't matter; **Risk management** to identify where caution is truly warranted; **Speed vs. thoroughness** trade-offs in any context"
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: ClawFu
  version: 1.0.0
  mcp-server: "@clawfu/mcp-skills"

Reversible Decisions (Type 1 vs. Type 2)

> Know when to move fast and when to move carefully. Master Jeff Bezos' framework for distinguishing high-stakes irreversible decisions from low-stakes reversible ones.

When to Use This Skill

• **Prioritizing decisions** to know where to invest time
• **Team empowerment** to understand what to delegate vs. escalate
• **Avoiding analysis paralysis** on decisions that don't matter
• **Risk management** to identify where caution is truly warranted
• **Speed vs. thoroughness** trade-offs in any context
• **Building decision-making culture** in organizations

Methodology Foundation

| Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Source** | Jeff Bezos - Amazon shareholder letters (2015-2016) | | **Core Principle** | "Some decisions are irreversible and consequential (Type 1). Most are reversible and low-consequence (Type 2). Use the right process for each." | | **Why This Matters** | Most people treat all decisions like Type 1—slow, deliberate, requiring full information. This leads to paralysis and missed opportunities. The best decision-makers move fast on Type 2 and slow on Type 1. |

What Claude Does vs What You Decide

| Claude Does | You Decide | |-------------|------------| | Structures content frameworks | Final messaging | | Suggests persuasion techniques | Brand voice | | Creates draft variations | Version selection | | Identifies optimization opportunities | Publication timing | | Analyzes competitor approaches | Strategic direction |

What This Skill Does

1. **Classifies decisions** - Is this Type 1 or Type 2? 2. **Calibrates process to stakes** - Right speed for right decision 3. **Enables delegation** - Type 2 can be pushed down 4. **Prevents over-analysis** - Stop treating reversible decisions as irreversible 5. **Improves organizational speed** - Teams move faster on the right things 6. **Reduces decision fatigue** - Don't waste energy on low-stakes choices

How to Use

Classify a Decision

Help me classify this decision:
[Describe the decision]
Is this Type 1 (irreversible) or Type 2 (reversible)?
What process should I use?

Speed Up Decision-Making

I'm spending too much time on [decision].
Apply the Type 1/Type 2 framework to help me move faster.

Build Decision-Making Process

Help me design a decision-making framework for my team.
Which decisions should require consensus vs. individual judgment?

Instructions

Step 1: Understand the Framework

## Type 1 vs. Type 2 Decisions

### Bezos' Definition

**Type 1: One-Way Doors**
"Some decisions are consequential and irreversible or nearly irreversible—
one-way doors—and these decisions must be made methodically, carefully,
slowly, with great deliberation and consultation."

**Type 2: Two-Way Doors**
"But most decisions aren't like that—they are changeable, reversible—
they're two-way doors. If you've made a suboptimal Type 2 decision,
you don't have to live with the consequences for that long.
You can reopen the door and go back through."

### The Problem

"As organizations get larger, there seems to be a tendency to use
the heavy-weight Type 1 decision-making process on most decisions,
including many Type 2 decisions. The end result of this is slowness,
unthoughtful risk aversion, failure to experiment sufficiently,
and consequently diminished invention."

### The Solution

"We must resist this tendency."

Type 2 decisions should be made quickly by high-judgment individuals
or small groups. Type 1 decisions require the full deliberative process.

---

Step 2: Classification Framework

## How to Classify Decisions

### The Two Questions

**Question 1: Is it reversible?**
Can you undo this decision with reasonable effort and cost?

| Reversibility | Examples |
|---------------|----------|
| **Easily reversible** | Pricing change, A/B test, new feature flag, hire (with trial), campaign |
| **Hard to reverse** | Architecture choice, brand name, key hire (C-level), market exit |
| **Irreversible** | Selling company, shutting down product, firing someone, legal action |

**Question 2: What are the consequences?**
If this decision is wrong, what happens?

| Consequence Level | Examples |
|-------------------|----------|
| **Low** | Internal process change, small experiment, minor feature |
| **Medium** | New product launch, pricing tier, team restructure |
| **High** | Major strategic pivot, large investment, partnership |
| **Existential** | Acquisition, shutdown, bet-the-company move |

### The Matrix

CONSEQUENCES Low High REVERSIBILITY ┌────────────┬────────────┐ High │ TYPE 2 │ TYPE 2 │ (Easy) │ (Fast) │ (Fast w/ │ │ │ monitoring)│ ├────────────┼────────────┤ Low │ TYPE 2 │ TYPE 1 │ (Hard) │ (Careful) │ (Slow) │ └────────────┴────────────┘

### Quick Classification

**TYPE 2 (Move Fast):**
- Can be undone
- Low/medium consequences
- Learning opportunity
- Failure is recoverable
- Most business decisions

**TYPE 1 (Move Carefully):**
- Can't be undone
- High/existential consequences
- Mistakes are permanent
- One-way door
- ~5-10% of decisions

---

Step 3: Match Process to Type

## Decision Process by Type

### Ty