Thinking & Decisions AI prompts

Prompts for clearer thinking: comparing options with a decision matrix, running a pre-mortem, challenging an assumption, and laying out the trade-offs before you commit.

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77 Thinking & Decisions prompts

Brainstorm fresh ideas on any problemGenerates a wide range of ideas — including unconventional ones — then helps you pick the best.
Break a big work problem into smaller, solvable parts (MECE)Splits a messy problem into a clean MECE issue tree, so you know which pieces to tackle, in what order, and who owns each.
Break a client's problem into an issue tree with hypotheses to testA structured, non-overlapping breakdown of a client problem with hypotheses, the analysis to test each, and a work plan.
Build a balanced college list of reach, match, and likely schoolsA college list that fits your priorities and academic profile, sorted into reach, match, and likely schools, with what to verify.
Build a decision tree with probabilities and expected valuesMaps a business decision as a decision tree with chance outcomes, shows the expected-value math, and tests how sensitive the answer is.
Build a downturn playbook with trigger points and pre-agreed actionsA staged plan linking specific warning signals to pre-agreed actions, so the leadership team acts early instead of debating under pressure.
Build a scorecard to compare the homes I tourA weighted must-have list and a simple scorecard so you can compare homes and neighborhoods objectively after each viewing.
Build scenarios for an uncertain futurePlausible future scenarios, their signals, and what to do in each.
Challenge my reasoning and assumptionsA rigorous thinking partner that finds holes, hidden assumptions, and logical fallacies in your argument.
Choose a moving company and avoid moving scamsA shortlist process, questions to ask, and red flags to check before booking movers.
Choose a neighborhood and vet a rental from another cityA neighborhood shortlist and a remote checklist for vetting places to live, including how to avoid rental scams when you can't visit.
Choose my classes for next semesterA balanced class schedule that meets your requirements, avoids an overloaded term, and has backups ready for registration day.
Choose the right delivery approach: agile, waterfall, or hybridAssesses your project's characteristics to recommend a delivery approach, with the practices and governance to match.
Choose the right Incoterms for an international shipmentExplains where cost, risk, and responsibility pass under each candidate Incoterm and recommends one for my situation.
Choose the right journal for my manuscriptCompares candidate journals on fit, audience, speed, cost, and acceptance odds, then gives a ranked submission sequence.
Compare cities I'm thinking of moving toA side-by-side comparison of cities on cost, jobs, lifestyle, and climate, weighted by what matters most to you.
Compare multiple offers on my listing side by sideA net-proceeds and risk comparison of competing offers, plus counteroffer and multiple-counter options for the seller.
Compare options with a decision matrixScores options against weighted criteria so the trade-offs and the best choice are explicit.
Compare the offers on my home and decide how to respondA side-by-side view of offers by net proceeds and risk, with counteroffer options and a response plan for multiple offers.
Create a cost-benefit analysis comparing my optionsLays out the costs, benefits, payback, and non-financial factors of each option in a comparable table you can paste into Excel.
Create a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram of possible causesSorts every possible cause of a problem into a fishbone diagram, ranks the likely ones, and tells you how to check each.
Cut shipping costs by choosing the right mode and consolidating loadsCompares parcel, LTL, truckload, and consolidation options for my shipment profile and recommends when to use each.
Decide between traditional publishing and self-publishing my novelA clear comparison of traditional publishing, self-publishing, and small presses based on your goals, budget, and timeline, with next steps.
Decide how to respond to an offer to acquire my companyA clear-headed framework for evaluating inbound acquisition interest, your alternatives, and how to reply without losing leverage.
Decide whether to approve a SaaS app an employee requestedReviews a requested cloud app's data access, permissions, and vendor security to recommend approve, approve with conditions, or decline.
Decide whether to buy off-the-shelf training or build customCompares off-the-shelf courses, a vendor-customized option, and in-house development on fit, cost, speed, and maintenance.
Decide whether to grow my side hustle or quit my jobA clear-eyed check of income, runway, and risk to decide whether to stay part-time, scale up, or go full-time.
Decide whether to kill, fix, or double down on a struggling initiativeAn honest review of an underperforming product, market, or project that ends in a clear call and next steps.
Decide whether to make a part in-house or buy itA make-vs-buy comparison of full costs, capacity, capability, and strategic risk with a clear recommendation.
Decide whether to outsource a process or keep it in-houseA structured make-or-buy analysis covering cost, control, risk, and transition for an operational process.
Decide whether to repair or replace aging equipmentA side-by-side comparison of repairing, overhauling, or replacing equipment, using total cost, downtime, and risk.
Decide whether to repair or replace an aging truckCompares the total cost of keeping, rebuilding, or replacing a fleet vehicle, including downtime, resale, and financing.
Decide whether to retake my admissions test and plan the next attemptA clear retake decision weighing likely gain, deadlines, and cost, plus a revised plan or a way to strengthen the rest of your application.
Decide whether to scrap, rework, or use nonconforming partsA Material Review Board recommendation on nonconforming material, weighing risk, cost, and customer approval, with the disposition written up for the record.
Decide which repairs and updates are worth doing before I sellA prioritized prep list that separates fixes worth the money from projects that won't pay back, plus a decluttering and staging plan.
Design a quick experiment to test a hypothesis about a work problemTurns a hunch about a problem or fix into a testable hypothesis and the fastest, cheapest experiment that gives a clear answer.
Estimate the impact of a feature before we build itA transparent back-of-envelope impact estimate with ranges, assumptions, and the one number that matters most.
Evaluate a feature request that sales says will close a dealA clear-eyed assessment of a deal-driven request, plus a reply to sales that protects the roadmap and the relationship.
Evaluate a freelance pitch and decide whether to commission itA quick editorial assessment of a pitch: news value, fit, feasibility, and risks, plus a commission or decline reply to send.
Evaluate a rental apartment before I sign the leaseA viewing checklist, questions for the landlord, and lease red flags to check before committing.
Evaluate a speaking or event invitation for my executiveA quick assessment of whether an invitation is worth my executive's time, plus the reply and logistics questions to ask.
Figure out the real decision I need to make and structure itCuts through a messy situation to the actual decision, who owns it, the deadline, the options, and the criteria for choosing.
Find and test the hidden assumptions behind a decision or planLists the assumptions your decision, strategy, options, or problem diagnosis rests on, ranks the riskiest, and shows how to test each one.
Find the gaps and blind spots in my report before I share itReviews your report or analysis for missing information, unanswered questions, untested assumptions, and what a skeptical reader will ask.
Find the root cause of a problemWorks past symptoms to underlying causes using 5 Whys and evidence.
Find what's missing from a report or proposal before I act on itSpots the gaps in a briefing, report, or proposal: missing data, voices, risks, and questions to ask before you act.
Frame a problem correctly before solving itClarifies what the real problem is, for whom, and what success looks like.
Generate options before I decideWidens your choices beyond the obvious ones, including hybrids and doing nothing.
Get and compare contractor quotes for a home projectA clear scope to send contractors, questions to ask, and a side-by-side comparison to choose the right quote.
Interview and choose a listing agent to sell my homeInterview questions, a comparison table, and commission and contract points to understand before you sign a listing agreement.
Learn to solve problems the way a great thinker didBreaks down how a historical figure approached problems, separates documented habits from legend, and turns them into exercises.
Level subcontractor bids and pick the right subA side-by-side bid leveling sheet that normalizes scope gaps between sub quotes so I compare true cost, not just the lowest number.
List the questions I must answer before making a decisionThe 10 most important questions to answer before you commit, ranked by how much each could change the decision, with how to answer them.
Make a decision with incomplete informationA pragmatic way to decide under uncertainty — what to assume, test, and watch.
Make the strongest case against my recommendation before I commitRed-teams your preferred option with the best counter-argument, the weak points in your case, and the evidence that should change your mind.
Map supplier risk and find single points of failureA tiered view of where my supply base is fragile, scored by likelihood and impact, with mitigation actions per critical item.
Map the riskiest assumptions behind a product idea and test them cheaplyAn assumption map ranked by risk, with a fast, low-cost experiment for each one that matters most.
Map the second-order effects and unintended consequences of a decisionTraces what happens after the obvious first effect of a decision, who reacts and how, and which knock-on risks need a plan.
Map the trade-offs of a decisionMakes explicit what you gain and give up with each option.
Plan a strong offer on a home I want to buyAn offer strategy with price, contingencies, and terms based on comparable sales and how competitive the market is.
Pressure-test my recommendations before a client readoutThe hardest questions each client stakeholder will ask, weak spots in the evidence, and how to strengthen them before presenting.
Recover after a bad grade or failing classA calm look at your options after a bad grade, with a recovery plan and the right people to talk to at school.
Review grant applications for a foundation's funding decisionA structured review and due diligence summary of each applicant, scored against your criteria, for a program officer or grants committee.
Run a 5 Whys analysis on a recurring problemWalks a problem through 5 Whys step by step, checks each link against evidence, and ends with fixes that target the real cause.
Run a go/no-go readiness review before launchA readiness scorecard and meeting script that turns launch evidence into a clear go, conditional go, or no-go call.
Run a post-mortem on a churned customer accountA blameless review of why an account churned, with root causes, missed signals, and changes to prevent it next time.
Run a pre-mortem on a planImagines the plan failed and works out why, so you can prevent it.
Save an account after my champion leaves the customerA plan to rebuild the relationship, find a new champion, and protect the renewal when your main contact departs.
Separate facts, assumptions, opinions, and unknowns in a documentSorts every important claim in a document, plan, or pitch into fact, assumption, opinion, or unknown, so you know what to trust and test.
Shortlist and interview wedding venues and vendorsA shortlist plan with the right questions for each vendor type, a comparison table, and contract red flags to check before booking.
Sort solutions into quick wins and long-term fixesFinds the simplest fix that could work now, separates quick wins from long-term solutions, and sequences both into a plan.
Split a decision into reversible and irreversible partsSeparates the one-way-door parts of a decision from the two-way-door parts, so you can move fast on one and slow down on the other.
Steelman both sides of an argumentThe strongest honest case for each side of a debate, and where the real disagreement lies.
Think out loud with a sharp thinking partnerAsks the questions that help you clarify a messy idea, situation, or plan.
Turn expert know-how into a decision treeConverts how an expert makes a recurring decision into a clear yes/no decision tree others can follow, with escalation points.
Turn research findings into prioritized business recommendationsConverts research or analysis into specific, prioritized recommendations with owners, effort, impact, and how to measure success.
Write a decision memoLays out the decision, options, recommendation, risks, and what's needed from leaders.

Thinking & Decisions AI prompts

77 Thinking & Decisions prompts

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