Ten files. Five difficult moments.
Do not start with the template. Start with the decision that is stuck.
Every resource here is open now. Pick the situation that sounds familiar, then use the file to make the hidden assumptions, tradeoffs, or risks easier to discuss.
When the brief sounds certain but the evidence is not
Discovery Guide
- What it exposes
- The assumptions hiding inside “we need training”
- Use it when
- You have a requested solution but no clean diagnosis
Solution Blueprint
- What it exposes
- The line from evidence to recommendation, including risks and measures
- Use it when
- Discovery has produced facts but not yet a plan
When “keep a human in the loop” is too vague
AI Workflow Map
- What it exposes
- Who drafts, who checks, who approves, and where AI stops
- Use it when
- AI is being added to an existing production workflow
AI Governance Checklist
- What it exposes
- Missing controls around sources, privacy, accuracy, bias, accessibility, and release
- Use it when
- The team can explain the model but not the accountability
When every stakeholder has a favorite platform
Technology Decision Matrix
- What it exposes
- Which priorities are actually driving the result
- Use it when
- Feature lists are getting longer and the decision is getting weaker
Recommendation Brief
- What it exposes
- The tradeoffs, vendor questions, and implementation risk a score cannot explain
- Use it when
- You need to recommend—not merely rank
When the deadline is firm and everything else is “flexible”
Estimation Worksheet
- What it exposes
- The scope choices and role effort hiding behind one total number
- Use it when
- Someone wants an estimate before the delivery conditions are settled
Proposal Executive Summary
- What it exposes
- Whether the client promise and delivery reality describe the same project
- Use it when
- The work needs a concise, challengeable agreement
When the project is sold but not ready
Solution Assurance Checklist
- What it exposes
- The blockers optimism is currently smoothing over
- Use it when
- Development is about to start and too much is still assumed
Risk Register
- What it exposes
- The evidence, owner, mitigation, and residual risk behind every worry
- Use it when
- Risks are being discussed but not managed