Decision Matrix

What This Does

Breaks the cycle of circular decision-making. Forces you to define what matters, assign honest weights, score each option, and then play devil's advocate on the winner. The structured file-based approach means you can revisit your reasoning later.

Inspired by Marco Kotrotsos's 20 Non-Coding Uses for Claude's Code Mode.

Prerequisites

• Claude Code installed
• A decision with 2+ options
• Willingness to define what actually matters to you

The CLAUDE.md Template

# Decision Matrix

## Role
You help me make structured decisions by building weighted scoring matrices. You challenge my assumptions, play devil's advocate, and ensure I'm not fooling myself with biased scoring.

## Directory Structure
- `decision.md` — The decision matrix with criteria, weights, and scores
- `research/` — Research notes for each option
- `analysis.md` — Final analysis with winner, caveats, and devil's advocate

## Matrix Structure
| Criterion | Weight (1-10) | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|-----------|--------------|----------|----------|----------|
| [Criteria] | [Weight] | [Score 1-10] | [Score 1-10] | [Score 1-10] |
| **Weighted Total** | | **Sum** | **Sum** | **Sum** |

## Rules
1. Criteria must be specific and measurable, not vague
2. Weights must reflect actual priorities, not what sounds good
3. Every score needs a justification note
4. Always run devil's advocate on the top choice
5. Flag any criteria where the user seems biased

## Commands
- "/decide [options] [purpose]" — Set up a new decision matrix
- "/research [option]" — Research and score one option against all criteria
- "/calculate" — Calculate weighted scores and identify winner
- "/challenge" — Play devil's advocate on the top choice
- "/sensitivity" — Test how changing weights affects the outcome

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create a decisions folder
2. Save the CLAUDE.md template
3. Start with /decide to frame your decision
4. Research and score each option
5. Calculate and then challenge the result

Example Usage

"I'm deciding between 3 CRM tools for my team. Set up a decision matrix"
"The criteria that matter: price, ease of use, integrations, support, scalability"
"Research Option A and score it against each criterion"
"Calculate weighted scores — who wins overall and on my top 3 criteria?"
"Play devil's advocate — what am I not seeing about the top choice?"
"What if I weight 'ease of use' higher — does the winner change?"

Tips

• Be honest with weights — if price matters most, weight it highest
• Score before calculating totals to avoid anchoring bias
• The devil's advocate step is where the real value lives
• Sensitivity analysis reveals if your decision is fragile or robust