Intermediate
Documentation Types
#decision-brief
#leadership
Decision Brief Writing
4 exercises — write decision briefs that frame the problem, compare options fairly, and recommend a path with clear rationale and risks.
0 / 24 completed
1 / 24
You are writing a decision brief for leadership on whether to migrate from REST to GraphQL. Which opening correctly frames the "Problem" section?
A decision brief's Problem section should state the concrete, measurable pain point driving the need for a decision — not the proposed solution and not a vague preference. This gives readers the "why now" before they see any options.
Formula:
Decision briefs are written for time-constrained readers (executives, leads) who need to understand the stakes in the first two sentences, not after ten paragraphs of background.
Formula:
"[Team/system] currently [specific symptom with numbers]. We need to decide [decision framed as a question]."Decision briefs are written for time-constrained readers (executives, leads) who need to understand the stakes in the first two sentences, not after ten paragraphs of background.
2 / 24
The "Options" section of your decision brief needs to present three approaches. Which format is correct?
A good Options section presents a small, curated set (typically 2–4) of genuinely viable approaches, each labelled clearly (Option A/B/C) and evaluated on the same dimensions (cost, risk, timeline) so readers can compare like-for-like.
Formula:
Avoid padding the list with strawman options included only to make the recommended option look better — decision-makers can usually tell, and it undermines trust in the brief.
Formula:
"Option [X]: [one-line description]. [Cost/risk/timeline for each]."Avoid padding the list with strawman options included only to make the recommended option look better — decision-makers can usually tell, and it undermines trust in the brief.
3 / 24
Which sentence correctly introduces the "Recommendation" section of a decision brief?
The Recommendation must name the chosen option and give specific, evidence-based reasons tied directly back to the problem statement — not a vague "it's the best" judgement. A decision brief exists precisely to make and justify a recommendation, not to present a neutral menu.
Formula:
Formula:
"We recommend [Option X] because [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3] — [summary tying back to the original problem]."4 / 24
A decision brief needs a "Risks" section for the recommended option. Which entry is correctly written?
A properly written risk entry names a specific, plausible failure mode and pairs it with a concrete mitigation — not a vague warning and not false confidence that no risk exists. Every non-trivial recommendation carries risk; hiding it damages credibility, and stating it with a mitigation builds trust.
Formula:
Formula:
"Risk: [specific failure mode]. Mitigation: [specific counter-measure]." Leadership reading a decision brief expects risks to be surfaced proactively, not discovered later.5 / 24
Reviewer: 'I'm seeing a lot of `if` statements here handling different user roles. Could you clarify the logic and maybe consider a more role-based approach to reduce duplication? You're writing a decision brief for your team lead, outlining why a refactoring of this module is necessary. Which phrasing in the 'Justification' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for a proposed solution?
The key here is framing the issue within the decision brief's purpose. Option 3 correctly acknowledges the problem (technical debt) and subtly guides the reader toward a potential solution – role-based design. Options A and B are too vague; they don't convey the urgency or specific technical concerns raised by the reviewer. Option D simply restates the issue without suggesting action, failing to justify the need for change.
6 / 24
Reviewer: 'This API endpoint returns a 400 error when the input data is missing the 'userId' field. It's causing intermittent failures in our mobile app.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and potentially fix this issue. Which of the following phrases best opens the 'Problem' section, accurately reflecting the reviewer's reported problem?
This option most accurately reflects the reviewer's direct report. The other options introduce assumptions about the *reason* for the error (validation, deployment) or misrepresent the impact (functioning as designed). Framing the problem around the specific observed behavior – the 400 error and its effect on the mobile app – immediately establishes the scope of the investigation and demonstrates you've understood the core issue. It also provides context needed to guide subsequent discussion about root cause.
7 / 24
You're tasked with writing a decision brief for your team to evaluate whether to adopt a new logging library. A senior developer comments on Slack: 'Hey @team, we're drowning in logs! It's so hard to filter and analyze them effectively. Seriously considering switching to something more structured.' Which of the following phrases best begins the 'Problem' section of your brief, accurately capturing the urgency and frustration expressed by the senior dev?
The correct option directly addresses the core issue raised in the Slack message: the *problem* is the overwhelming volume and difficulty in managing logs. Options A and C focus on solutions or potential choices, while Option B succinctly states the problem's impact (operational overhead), mirroring the senior developer's frustration. Option D is too vague and doesn't acknowledge the specific challenge presented – a common mistake when framing problems in documentation.
8 / 24
Reviewer: 'This PR introduces a new feature that allows users to upload images directly to the server. However, there's no rate limiting in place, and I'm concerned about potential abuse leading to denial-of-service attacks.' You are writing a decision brief for your team lead regarding this change. Which phrase best frames the 'Risks' section introduction?The correct answer highlights the significant nature of the risk. The reviewer explicitly raised concerns about a potential denial-of-service attack due to a lack of rate limiting. Options A and B focus on testing or trivial issues, while option C minimizes the problem and D is overly dismissive – a good decision brief needs to acknowledge and prioritize serious risks like this one. Framing it as 'significant' immediately establishes the importance of addressing the vulnerability.
9 / 24
Reviewer: 'The database query is extremely slow. It's taking over 10 seconds to retrieve user data, and this impacts the responsiveness of our core application.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and optimize this query. Which phrasing in the 'Problem' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for potential solutions?This question tests understanding of framing a problem statement in a decision brief. The correct option directly addresses the reviewer's core concern – performance degradation – and highlights its impact (user experience). Options A and D are irrelevant or misinterpret the issue. Option C is technically accurate but doesn't convey the urgency or consequence of the slow query, failing to prepare the reader for potential optimization strategies.
10 / 24
Reviewer: 'I'm seeing a lot of `if` statements here handling different user roles. Could you clarify the logic and maybe consider a more role-based approach to reduce duplication? You're writing a decision brief for your team lead, outlining why a refactoring of this module is necessary. Which phrasing in the 'Justification' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for a proposed solution?
The key here is framing the issue within the decision brief's purpose. Option 3 correctly acknowledges the problem (technical debt) and subtly guides the reader toward a potential solution – role-based design. Options A and B are too vague; they don't convey the urgency or specific technical concerns raised by the reviewer. Option D simply restates the issue without suggesting action, failing to justify the need for change.
11 / 24
Reviewer: 'This API endpoint returns a 400 error when the input data is missing the 'userId' field. It's causing intermittent failures in our mobile app.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and potentially fix this issue. Which of the following phrases best opens the 'Problem' section, accurately reflecting the reviewer's reported problem?
This option most accurately reflects the reviewer's direct report. The other options introduce assumptions about the *reason* for the error (validation, deployment) or misrepresent the impact (functioning as designed). Framing the problem around the specific observed behavior – the 400 error and its effect on the mobile app – immediately establishes the scope of the investigation and demonstrates you've understood the core issue. It also provides context needed to guide subsequent discussion about root cause.
12 / 24
You're tasked with writing a decision brief for your team to evaluate whether to adopt a new logging library. A senior developer comments on Slack: 'Hey @team, we're drowning in logs! It's so hard to filter and analyze them effectively. Seriously considering switching to something more structured.' Which of the following phrases best begins the 'Problem' section of your brief, accurately capturing the urgency and frustration expressed by the senior dev?
The correct option directly addresses the core issue raised in the Slack message: the *problem* is the overwhelming volume and difficulty in managing logs. Options A and C focus on solutions or potential choices, while Option B succinctly states the problem's impact (operational overhead), mirroring the senior developer's frustration. Option D is too vague and doesn't acknowledge the specific challenge presented – a common mistake when framing problems in documentation.
13 / 24
Reviewer: 'This PR introduces a new feature that allows users to upload images directly to the server. However, there's no rate limiting in place, and I'm concerned about potential abuse leading to denial-of-service attacks.' You are writing a decision brief for your team lead regarding this change. Which phrase best frames the 'Risks' section introduction?The correct answer highlights the significant nature of the risk. The reviewer explicitly raised concerns about a potential denial-of-service attack due to a lack of rate limiting. Options A and B focus on testing or trivial issues, while option C minimizes the problem and D is overly dismissive – a good decision brief needs to acknowledge and prioritize serious risks like this one. Framing it as 'significant' immediately establishes the importance of addressing the vulnerability.
14 / 24
Reviewer: 'The database query is extremely slow. It's taking over 10 seconds to retrieve user data, and this impacts the responsiveness of our core application.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and optimize this query. Which phrasing in the 'Problem' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for potential solutions?This question tests understanding of framing a problem statement in a decision brief. The correct option directly addresses the reviewer's core concern – performance degradation – and highlights its impact (user experience). Options A and D are irrelevant or misinterpret the issue. Option C is technically accurate but doesn't convey the urgency or consequence of the slow query, failing to prepare the reader for potential optimization strategies.
15 / 24
Reviewer: 'I'm seeing a lot of `if` statements here handling different user roles. Could you clarify the logic and maybe consider a more role-based approach to reduce duplication? You're writing a decision brief for your team lead, outlining why a refactoring of this module is necessary. Which phrasing in the 'Justification' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for a proposed solution?
The key here is framing the issue within the decision brief's purpose. Option 3 correctly acknowledges the problem (technical debt) and subtly guides the reader toward a potential solution – role-based design. Options A and B are too vague; they don't convey the urgency or specific technical concerns raised by the reviewer. Option D simply restates the issue without suggesting action, failing to justify the need for change.
16 / 24
Reviewer: 'This API endpoint returns a 400 error when the input data is missing the 'userId' field. It's causing intermittent failures in our mobile app.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and potentially fix this issue. Which of the following phrases best opens the 'Problem' section, accurately reflecting the reviewer's reported problem?
This option most accurately reflects the reviewer's direct report. The other options introduce assumptions about the *reason* for the error (validation, deployment) or misrepresent the impact (functioning as designed). Framing the problem around the specific observed behavior – the 400 error and its effect on the mobile app – immediately establishes the scope of the investigation and demonstrates you've understood the core issue. It also provides context needed to guide subsequent discussion about root cause.
17 / 24
You're tasked with writing a decision brief for your team to evaluate whether to adopt a new logging library. A senior developer comments on Slack: 'Hey @team, we're drowning in logs! It's so hard to filter and analyze them effectively. Seriously considering switching to something more structured.' Which of the following phrases best begins the 'Problem' section of your brief, accurately capturing the urgency and frustration expressed by the senior dev?
The correct option directly addresses the core issue raised in the Slack message: the *problem* is the overwhelming volume and difficulty in managing logs. Options A and C focus on solutions or potential choices, while Option B succinctly states the problem's impact (operational overhead), mirroring the senior developer's frustration. Option D is too vague and doesn't acknowledge the specific challenge presented – a common mistake when framing problems in documentation.
18 / 24
Reviewer: 'This PR introduces a new feature that allows users to upload images directly to the server. However, there's no rate limiting in place, and I'm concerned about potential abuse leading to denial-of-service attacks.' You are writing a decision brief for your team lead regarding this change. Which phrase best frames the 'Risks' section introduction?The correct answer highlights the significant nature of the risk. The reviewer explicitly raised concerns about a potential denial-of-service attack due to a lack of rate limiting. Options A and B focus on testing or trivial issues, while option C minimizes the problem and D is overly dismissive – a good decision brief needs to acknowledge and prioritize serious risks like this one. Framing it as 'significant' immediately establishes the importance of addressing the vulnerability.
19 / 24
Reviewer: 'The database query is extremely slow. It's taking over 10 seconds to retrieve user data, and this impacts the responsiveness of our core application.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and optimize this query. Which phrasing in the 'Problem' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for potential solutions?This question tests understanding of framing a problem statement in a decision brief. The correct option directly addresses the reviewer's core concern – performance degradation – and highlights its impact (user experience). Options A and D are irrelevant or misinterpret the issue. Option C is technically accurate but doesn't convey the urgency or consequence of the slow query, failing to prepare the reader for potential optimization strategies.
20 / 24
Reviewer: 'I'm seeing a lot of `if` statements here handling different user roles. Could you clarify the logic and maybe consider a more role-based approach to reduce duplication? You're writing a decision brief for your team lead, outlining why a refactoring of this module is necessary. Which phrasing in the 'Justification' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for a proposed solution?
The key here is framing the issue within the decision brief's purpose. Option 3 correctly acknowledges the problem (technical debt) and subtly guides the reader toward a potential solution – role-based design. Options A and B are too vague; they don't convey the urgency or specific technical concerns raised by the reviewer. Option D simply restates the issue without suggesting action, failing to justify the need for change.
21 / 24
Reviewer: 'This API endpoint returns a 400 error when the input data is missing the 'userId' field. It's causing intermittent failures in our mobile app.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and potentially fix this issue. Which of the following phrases best opens the 'Problem' section, accurately reflecting the reviewer's reported problem?
This option most accurately reflects the reviewer's direct report. The other options introduce assumptions about the *reason* for the error (validation, deployment) or misrepresent the impact (functioning as designed). Framing the problem around the specific observed behavior – the 400 error and its effect on the mobile app – immediately establishes the scope of the investigation and demonstrates you've understood the core issue. It also provides context needed to guide subsequent discussion about root cause.
22 / 24
You're tasked with writing a decision brief for your team to evaluate whether to adopt a new logging library. A senior developer comments on Slack: 'Hey @team, we're drowning in logs! It's so hard to filter and analyze them effectively. Seriously considering switching to something more structured.' Which of the following phrases best begins the 'Problem' section of your brief, accurately capturing the urgency and frustration expressed by the senior dev?
The correct option directly addresses the core issue raised in the Slack message: the *problem* is the overwhelming volume and difficulty in managing logs. Options A and C focus on solutions or potential choices, while Option B succinctly states the problem's impact (operational overhead), mirroring the senior developer's frustration. Option D is too vague and doesn't acknowledge the specific challenge presented – a common mistake when framing problems in documentation.
23 / 24
Reviewer: 'This PR introduces a new feature that allows users to upload images directly to the server. However, there's no rate limiting in place, and I'm concerned about potential abuse leading to denial-of-service attacks.' You are writing a decision brief for your team lead regarding this change. Which phrase best frames the 'Risks' section introduction?The correct answer highlights the significant nature of the risk. The reviewer explicitly raised concerns about a potential denial-of-service attack due to a lack of rate limiting. Options A and B focus on testing or trivial issues, while option C minimizes the problem and D is overly dismissive – a good decision brief needs to acknowledge and prioritize serious risks like this one. Framing it as 'significant' immediately establishes the importance of addressing the vulnerability.
24 / 24
Reviewer: 'The database query is extremely slow. It's taking over 10 seconds to retrieve user data, and this impacts the responsiveness of our core application.' You are drafting a decision brief for your team to investigate and optimize this query. Which phrasing in the 'Problem' section best reflects the reviewer's concerns and prepares the reader for potential solutions?This question tests understanding of framing a problem statement in a decision brief. The correct option directly addresses the reviewer's core concern – performance degradation – and highlights its impact (user experience). Options A and D are irrelevant or misinterpret the issue. Option C is technically accurate but doesn't convey the urgency or consequence of the slow query, failing to prepare the reader for potential optimization strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the "Decision Brief Writing — Documentation Types Exercise" exercise cover?
Practice writing decision briefs for leadership: problem framing, options comparison, recommendation with rationale, and risk disclosure. 4 exercises.
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This exercise has 24 questions. Each one gives instant feedback with an explanation, so you can see exactly why an answer is right or wrong.
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