Option pages
Details on each alternative.
Decision Memo with GenTabs
Messy tabs → decision-ready memo with context, options, evidence, tradeoffs, risks, and next steps. Popular for team decisions.
Popular use case. ← Back to all use cases
What you'll build
Outcome
A decision-ready memo that transforms scattered research tabs into a structured document: context, options, evidence, tradeoffs, risks, recommended decision, and next steps.
When to use
- Making team or organizational decisions
- Need to document reasoning for stakeholders
- Complex decisions with multiple options
- Want a "decision audit trail"
Tabs to gather (5–12 recommended)
- 2–4 option pages: details on each alternative
- 2–4 analysis/comparison sources: pros/cons, expert opinions
- 1–2 constraint docs: budget, timeline, requirements
- 1 stakeholder input (optional): who cares about what
Output format
- Context (why this decision matters)
- Options table with key attributes
- Evidence summary per option
- Tradeoffs and risks
- Recommendation with rationale
- Next steps and owners
Tab Checklist & Output Preview
What to open, what you'll get:
Analysis sources
Comparisons, expert takes.
Context section
Why this decision matters now.
Options table
Side-by-side with key attributes.
Tradeoffs & risks
What you gain/lose per option.
Next steps
Actions, owners, timeline.
Master Prompt (copy & paste)
Run this prompt with your tabs open in GenTabs/Disco or paste into any LLM with your sources.
You are GenTabs. Use ONLY the open tabs as sources.
GOAL: Create a decision memo for [DECISION TOPIC].
OUTPUT:
1) Context
- What decision needs to be made?
- Why now? What's the trigger?
- Who are the stakeholders?
- What are the constraints (budget, time, requirements)?
2) Options Table
| Option | Cost | Time | Risk | Key Benefit | Key Drawback |
- 3–5 realistic options
- Include "do nothing" if relevant
3) Evidence Summary
For each option:
- Supporting evidence (with citations)
- Concerns or unknowns
- Who advocates for this option?
4) Tradeoffs & Risks
- What do you gain/lose with each option?
- Reversibility: easy to undo vs. locked in
- Tail risks: what could go very wrong?
5) Recommendation
- DECISION: [Your recommendation]
- RATIONALE: [2–3 sentences]
- DISSENT: [Strongest argument against]
- CONFIDENCE: High/Med/Low
6) Next Steps
| Action | Owner | Deadline | Dependencies |
- Immediate actions if approved
- What needs to happen first?
RULES:
- Cite sources for all evidence
- Separate facts from opinions
- Make the recommendation clearFollow-ups to try:
1. Run a pre-mortem: "What would make this decision fail?"
2. "What new information would change the recommendation?"
3. Create stakeholder-specific summary (exec vs. technical)
4. Draft announcement for the decision
5. Build a rollback plan
FAQ
1
How is this different from product comparison?
Decision memos focus on organizational context, stakeholders, and next steps—not just feature matrices.
2
Should I include 'do nothing' as an option?
Usually yes. It forces you to articulate why action is needed and what happens if you wait.
3
How to handle incomplete information?
Note it explicitly: "Unknown: [X]. Impact: [high/low]. Suggested action: [get more info or decide anyway]."
4
What if I don't have GenTabs/Disco access?
Copy the prompt into ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini and paste your research content or links.
Ready to decide?
Open your research tabs, copy the Master Prompt, and build your decision memo.