When making decisions, too many people write a pros/cons list when they should really write a durable decision.
I first learned about this framework from Ficus Kirkpatrick at Facebook, and it’s completely changed how I make and document decisions.
What is a Durable Decision
A durable decision has four parts:
Goals - What are you trying to optimize for? What really matters? What anti-goals are you trying to avoid?
Assumptions - What do you believe to be true about the world? Write down facts, observations, and beliefs relevant to the decision context.
Options - What can you choose from? List them out and explain how well each achieves the goals.
Decider - Who is making the decision? Usually the person writing the above, but not always.
Why It Matters
It makes decision stick. That's the "durable" part. If nothing in the document changes, the decision remains correct. When something does change, you know exactly which section shifted and can re-evaluate accordingly.
It beats pros/cons lists. A pros/cons list tempts you to pick whichever option has the longer "pros" column. Durable decisions force you to articulate what you're actually optimizing for and then evaluate options against those goals.
It surfaces hidden goals. Even though goals come first, you often discover them last. Writing out assumptions and options reveals what you actually care about. The real work is hopping between sections until everything makes sense.
It expands your options. Most decisions feel binary. The options section forces you to ask: is there a third path? A fourth? There usually is.
It creates organizational memory. In teams, durable decisions preserve context. Anyone can revisit the document later and understand (1) why a choice was made and (2) whether it's time to revisit it, given new goals, assumptions, or options.