/common-decision-discipline

Right-size, ground, and gate SDLC decisions with SNC-sized depth, said-vs-assumed write-back, an evidence ledger, honest option cards, recorded approval, and self-review. Use when running brainstorm-feature, plan-feature, design-solution, or system-design-session.

BOOST

hoangnguyen0403@hoangnguyen0403

GitHub

From plugin

agent-skills-standard

569200 skills21 agents33 commands1 MCP

Install

$ npx -y skills add hoangnguyen0403/agent-skills-standard --skill common-decision-discipline --agent claude-code

How it fires

How this skill gets triggered: by you, by Claude, or both.

Fires itselfAuto-invocation. Claude auto-loads it when your prompt matches the work.
You can call itInvoke it directly when you want it.
Slash command/common-decision-discipline

Context preview

The summary Claude sees to decide when to auto-load this skill.

Right-size, ground, and gate SDLC decisions with SNC-sized depth, said-vs-assumed write-back, an evidence ledger, honest option cards, recorded approval, and self-review. Use when running brainstorm-feature, plan-feature, design-solution, or system-design-session.

SKILL.md

common-decision-discipline.SKILL.md

name: common-decision-discipline
description: Right-size, ground, and gate SDLC decisions with SNC-sized depth, said-vs-assumed write-back, an evidence ledger, honest option cards, recorded approval, and self-review. Use when running brainstorm-feature, plan-feature, design-solution, or system-design-session.
guardrail: true
metadata:
  triggers:
    files: []
    keywords:
      - decision brief
      - delivery contract
      - compare approaches
      - evidence ledger
      - approval state
      - option trade-offs
      - shape a direction

Decision Discipline

Priority: P0 (CRITICAL)

Trustworthy decisions are sized to the work, grounded in evidence, and approved on the record.

1. Size The Work

| SNC tier | Depth | Artifact | | --- | --- | --- | | `tier=low` (0-2) | Quick | Contract in chat, no file; `approval` in the Handoff Payload | | `tier=medium` (3-4) | Standard | Core brief file | | `tier=high` (5-6) | Deep | Full brief; decompose multi-subsystem ideas first; optional `specialist-architecture-guard` review |

Score with `common-task-complexity-routing`; label as inference until scouted. The tier only rises once work starts.
A symptom without a root cause routes to `dev-fix`; never compare fixes for an undiagnosed bug.

2. Shared Understanding

Draft first, then write back two lists: **You said** and **I assumed**. Allow one correction round.
Skip the write-back when outcome, constraints, non-goals, and acceptance criteria are already stated; confirm in one line.
Reuse an accepted contract; never reopen it.

3. Evidence Ledger

Tag every feasibility, AS-IS, or current-behavior claim: `confirmed(<path>)`, `assumed`, or `unknown`.
Read the smallest useful set of code, tests, docs, and existing `docs/brd|prd|srs` before calling an option feasible.
Resolve what evidence can settle; label only what stays unknowable. Format: `references/evidence-ledger.md`.

4. Questions

Ask only when the answer changes the result, safety boundary, or public contract.
Max 3 per round, each with a recommended default and 2-3 options.
Never re-ask a settled fact. Never ask the operator to re-authorize approved work.
For `operator_profile=business`, every question is answerable by "go with your suggestion".

5. Options

0-3 options, only when a real choice exists. A single viable path is stated as the path, not padded.
Each option card names its load-bearing assumption, first failure condition, worst plausible case, and cost to abandon (`references/option-card.md`).
Recommend the smallest option that satisfies the contract. When a critical assumption is unresolved, recommend the option cheapest to abandon.
Cut unrequested scope; keep all requested scope.

6. Approval State

`approval: pending | approved(<who>, <YYYY-MM-DD>) | assumed-autonomous`.
Interactive: end with "Reply ok or corrections". An ok approves only the artifact presented.
Autonomous or channel mode without an interactive reply channel: set `assumed-autonomous` and continue; `tier=high` still blocks pending explicit human sign-off.

7. Self-Review Before Handoff

Placeholders: TBD, TODO, empty sections.
Contradictions between sections.
Scope: one plan, or needs splitting.
Ambiguity: a requirement with two readings; pick one and state it.

Red Flags

Stop when thinking: "too simple to need a brief", "they said implement, so skip intake", "it's a bug, pick a fix", "list three options to look thorough", "ask again to be safe", "they approved the idea, so the plan is approved". Each is a rationalization, not a reason.

Anti-Patterns

**No unlabeled claims**: every AS-IS or feasibility statement carries an evidence tag.
**No padded options**: never invent alternatives to reach three.
**No silent approval**: a brief without `approval` is incomplete.
**No reopened decisions**: settled facts are carried forward, not re-asked.