Decision Distiller

Distill decision contexts, options, trade-offs, and outcomes into structured decision records. Use when the user is facing a choice, has made a decision they want to document, or needs to analyze past decisions for patterns. Captures rationale, alternatives considered, and lessons learned.

Overview

Decision Distiller helps capture, structure, and learn from decisions made during OpenClaw sessions. It transforms informal decision-making into documented, reviewable records that build organizational knowledge over time.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• A user is weighing multiple options and needs clarity
• A decision has been made and should be documented
• Past decisions need review or analysis
• Decision patterns across sessions should be identified
• The user asks to "document this decision" or "record why we chose X"

Core Concepts

Decision Record

A structured document capturing:

• Context: Situation requiring a decision
• Options: Alternatives considered
• Criteria: How options were evaluated
• Decision: The choice made
• Rationale: Why this choice was made
• Trade-offs: What was gained/lost
• Outcome: Result of the decision (filled later)
• Lessons: What was learned

Decision Status

• pending: Decision not yet made
• decided: Decision made, awaiting outcome
• validated: Decision proven correct
• revised: Decision changed based on new information
• archived: Decision no longer relevant

Input

Accepts decision information in various forms:

• Conversation about options
• Pros/cons lists
• Direct statements of choice
• Retrospective analysis

Output

Produces:

• Dated decision records (Markdown)
• Decision summaries
• Pattern analysis across decisions
• Decision status reports

Workflow

Capturing a New Decision

1. Identify Context

   • What situation required a decision?
   • What was at stake?
   • Who was involved?

2. List Options

   • What alternatives were considered?
   • What was eliminated early?
   • What made it to final consideration?

3. Define Criteria

   • How were options evaluated?
   • What mattered most?
   • Were there constraints?

4. Record Decision

   • What was chosen?
   • When was it decided?
   • Who decided?

5. Document Rationale

   • Why was this option selected?
   • What tipped the balance?
   • What assumptions were made?

6. Note Trade-offs

   • What was sacrificed?
   • What risks were accepted?
   • What opportunities were passed?

Reviewing Past Decisions

1. Gather Records

   • Collect relevant decision records
   • Filter by topic, date, or status

2. Analyze Patterns

   • Common criteria used
   • Recurring trade-offs
   • Typical decision timelines

3. Extract Lessons

   • What worked well?
   • What would change?
   • What patterns emerge?

Output Format

Decision Record

# Decision: [Title] - YYYY-MM-DD

**ID**: DEC-2024-001
**Status**: decided
**Decided By**: [Name/Role]
**Date**: YYYY-MM-DD

## Context
[Description of the situation requiring a decision]

## Options Considered

### Option 1: [Name]
- **Description**: 
- **Pros**: 
- **Cons**: 
- **Estimated Impact**: 

### Option 2: [Name]
- **Description**: 
- **Pros**: 
- **Cons**: 
- **Estimated Impact**: 

## Decision Criteria
1. [Criterion 1] - Weight: High/Medium/Low
2. [Criterion 2] - Weight: High/Medium/Low

## Decision
**Chosen**: [Option X]

## Rationale
[Why this option was selected over others]

## Trade-offs
- **Accepted**: [What we gave up]
- **Mitigated**: [How we reduced risks]

## Expected Outcome
[What we expect to happen]

## Actual Outcome
[Filled in later - what actually happened]

## Lessons Learned
[Filled in later - insights from the outcome]

## Related Decisions
- [Link to related decision]

Commands

Create Decision Record

decision create "Decision title" --status pending

Update Decision

decision update DEC-2024-001 --status validated

List Decisions

decision list --status decided --since 2024-01-01

Analyze Patterns

decision analyze --topic architecture

Quality Rules

• Be specific: vague decisions teach no lessons
• Include alternatives: decisions without options aren't decisions
• Document rationale: future you needs to know why
• Review outcomes: a decision isn't complete until its outcome is known
• Link related decisions: build decision networks

Good Trigger Examples

• "Document this decision: we're going with X"
• "Help me decide between A and B"
• "What decisions have we made about architecture?"
• "Review our deployment decisions from last month"
• "I decided to use Y instead of Z, record that"

Resources

references/

• references/decision-templates.md: Variations for different decision types
• references/analysis-frameworks.md: Tools for analyzing decisions