1. Problem framing
State what is being decided, why it matters now, and who owns the final call.
Decision sequence
The protocol should be opinionated enough to support honest participation.
2. Option generation
Create a small but meaningful set of alternative actions, including a “do nothing” baseline when relevant.
3. Tradeoff exposure
Require explicit upside, downside, cost, risk, and second-order consequences for each option.
4. Position declaration
Each decision participant must choose an option and state the primary reason for supporting it.
5. Dissent capture
Participants can record objections, rejected alternatives, and what evidence would change their mind.
6. Commit and lock
The system records the final state, the owner, and the explicit conditions required to reopen the decision later.
Design objective
The protocol should make clarity easier for those who actually want it.
No fake agreement
The system should make non-committal participation visible rather than allowing it to masquerade as collaboration.
No reasoning vacuum
Every serious position should have an attached rationale that is inspectable later.
No silent revisionism
The protocol should preserve enough memory that participants cannot conveniently rewrite their stance after the fact.
Protocol line
“If the choice matters, the choice structure should be visible.”
The system becomes stronger when dissent is not treated as social failure, but as structured input.
Continue to dissent