Decision-Making & Problem-Solving Prompts

Ready-made prompts to structure a decision or problem, spot blind spots and weigh options fairly.

Ready-made prompt templates

• Compare two options: Compare these two options: [option A] and [option B]. My priorities: [criteria]. First ask me clarifying questions, then list pros, cons and blind spots I may have missed.
  Sample case: A: Stay in my current job. B: Move to a new company. Priorities: salary, remote work, growth.
  Questions first:
  1. Is the new company's offer in writing and what does it cover?
  2. Is a promotion/raise likely soon at the current job?
  3. How essential is remote work to you?
  4. Which skills do you measure growth by?
  
  A (stay) pros: known environment, familiar team. Cons: limited growth or pay rise.
  B (move) pros: possible salary, growth chance. Cons: uncertainty, probation period.
  
  Things that may be overlooked: benefits, company culture, exit terms, stability of the new job.
  This sample output was produced with Claude; your result may differ.
• Pre-mortem on a plan: Run a pre-mortem on my plan. Plan: [plan]. Assume it has failed after launch, list the reasons in order of likelihood and suggest a safeguard for each.
  Sample case: Plan: Launch a new product within 3 months.
  Reasons for failure (in order of likelihood):
  1. The schedule is unrealistic and the product wasn't ready → Mitigation: keep scope small, ship core features first.
  2. Customer demand lower than expected → Mitigation: test with a small audience before launch.
  3. Quality problems → Mitigation: reserve a testing phase before launch.
  4. Marketing budget ran out → Mitigation: split the budget into stages.
  5. The team was overloaded → Mitigation: clarify priorities and check workload distribution.
  
  This ordering is an estimate; update it with your own data.
  This sample output was produced with Claude; your result may differ.
• Weighted decision table: Build a weighted decision table. Options: [options]. Criteria: [criteria]. Give each criterion an importance score from 1 to 5 and calculate the totals.
  Sample case: Options: Laptop A, Laptop B. Criteria: price, battery, weight.
  Criterion | Importance (1-5) | A score (1-5) | B score (1-5)
  Price | 5 | 3 | 4
  Battery | 4 | 4 | 3
  Weight | 3 | 5 | 3
  
  Weighted score = importance × score:
  A: 5×3 + 4×4 + 3×5 = 15 + 16 + 15 = 46
  B: 5×4 + 4×3 + 3×3 = 20 + 12 + 9 = 41
  
  Result: with these sample scores A leads. The scores are examples; change them to your own judgement.
  This sample output was produced with Claude; your result may differ.
• Arguments against an idea: Write the strongest arguments against my idea. Idea: [idea]. What evidence might be misleading me and which assumption is weakest?
  Sample case: Idea: Quit my job and start my own business.
  Strongest arguments against:
  1. Income uncertainty: there may be no regular income in the first months; how many months does your savings last?
  2. Demand assumption: do you have evidence customers will pay, or only interest?
  3. Being alone: managing sales, product and accounting alone can be exhausting.
  4. Opportunity cost: you give up growth and benefits in your job.
  
  Evidence that may mislead you: success stories (failures are told less), friends' encouragement.
  Weak assumptions: “My product is great, it will sell.” and “I will be profitable soon.”
  This sample output was produced with Claude; your result may differ.
• Root cause analysis: Find the root cause of the problem. Problem: [problem]. Ask “why?” up to 5 times, building each answer on the previous one, and end with a concrete fix.
  Sample case: Problem: Customer complaints are rising.
  1. Why? Deliveries are late.
  2. Why are they late? Dispatch from the warehouse happens late.
  3. Why late? Orders are processed in batches and picked at the end of the day.
  4. Why batches? The order system doesn't notify the warehouse team in real time.
  5. Why no notification? The two systems are not connected.
  
  Root cause (example): order and warehouse systems are not integrated.
  Concrete fix: first set up a manual hourly picking routine, then start an integration project between the systems.
  
  Note: the chain is an example; ask about your own real causes.
  This sample output was produced with Claude; your result may differ.
• 10 different approaches: Come up with 10 different approaches to this topic: [topic]. Describe each in one sentence, then pick the three most original and say why.
  Sample case: Topic: Finding new customers.
  1. Ask existing customers for referrals.
  2. Publish useful guides on a blog.
  3. Set up a stand at a local event.
  4. Offer a free trial or sample.
  5. Answer questions in relevant social media groups.
  6. Run a joint campaign with another business.
  7. Collect subscribers for an email newsletter.
  8. Shoot a short video series.
  9. Offer an extra service to existing customers.
  10. Prepare a comparison page for competitors' unhappy customers.
  
  Three most original:
  • 6: A partnership with another business reaches both sides' customers.
  • 10: A comparison page speaks directly to people searching (provided it stays honest and accurate).
  • 4: A free trial lowers the trust barrier.
  This sample output was produced with Claude; your result may differ.
• Cost of doing nothing: Show me the cost of doing nothing. Situation: [situation]. Describe what could happen over the next month, six months and year, and the smallest way to take a first step.
  Sample case: Situation: I can't decide whether to renew a software subscription; I hardly use it.
  If you do nothing:
  • 1 month: The subscription renews automatically and you pay a fee for something you don't use.
  • 6 months: The same fee is paid six times; if the non-use habit continues, the wasted amount grows.
  • 1 year: You need to calculate the yearly total cost and reconsider the value of renewing.
  
  Smallest step: today look at the renewal date and cancellation terms of the subscription; set a calendar reminder. Review your usage for 15 minutes and decide.
  This sample output was produced with Claude; your result may differ.