Guide · Institutions and Decisions
Prepare a decision memo that makes expert time more useful
An hour with an adviser is worth far more when the decision, the options and the evidence are on one page before the conversation starts.
The short answer
A decision memo states the decision and who makes it, the date it must be made by, the real options including doing nothing, the evidence for each with its source and strength, and the questions still open. It ends without a recommendation: the conversation is where the options are tested, and the decision stays with its owner.
Why a memo helps
Without one, much of a consultation goes on background. With one, the adviser arrives having read the options and can spend the time testing them.
What goes in
- The decision in one sentence, who makes it and by when.
- Why it must be made now.
- At least two real options, including doing nothing, each with benefits, risks, cost and reversibility.
- The evidence, with its source and how strong it is.
- The questions that are still open.
Reversibility sets the bar
A decision that is easy to reverse can rest on thinner evidence and be tested in practice. One that is hard to reverse needs strong evidence, or a reversible first step.
A worked example
The illustrative example in the decision memo template asks whether to open a second office in Kumasi. It compares a full office, a shared workspace with one staff member, and doing nothing. One piece of evidence is strong: 40% of last year’s revenue came from Ashanti-based clients, according to the management accounts. Another, that competitors are opening offices in the city, is weak. The open questions, whether two key clients will commit to multi-year work and what a lease would cost, are what the conversation should settle.
Using the time well
A consultation with one of the principals runs for 30, 45 or 60 minutes. A one-page memo means that time goes on judgement rather than background. Keep confidential details out of anything you email.
What this guide does not cover
The memo structures the thinking; it does not make or recommend the decision. How strong each piece of evidence is remains a judgement.
Responsible for this guide
Examples in this guide are illustrative, not client results. Figures come from the free tool’s worked example; change the inputs in the tool to see your own.
Related services
The same method, delivered with you: scoped in writing, with a named principal and a fee agreed before any work begins.
Executive mentoring
A recurring decision session with Prof. Wisdom Gagakuma, prepared in advance and followed by a concise brief after each conversation.
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A focused call about one explicit decision, prepared in advance and followed by a short written note. Choose 30, 45 or 60 minutes with the principal who fits your question.
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