# 🧭 Cheatsheet: Decision-Making and Autonomy: Trust Your Judgment in the Age of AI

By Better Wise

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A lookup card for the full course. Use it while you frame, compare, decide, and review.

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## Module 1: Frame the Decision and Set the Bar

### 1.1 Name the Real Decision with Problem Framing

**Problem framing** = restating a vague worry as a specific, answerable decision.

| Weak framing (avoid) | Strong framing (use) |
| --- | --- |
| "Should I change jobs?" | "Should I accept Offer A by the deadline, versus staying in my current role for 12 more months?" |
| "Our tooling is bad." | "Should we migrate to Tool B this quarter, or keep Tool A and add a paid add-on?" |
| "I need to be healthier." | "Should I commit to 3 gym sessions per week for the next 8 weeks?" |

**Framing checklist**
- [ ] What exactly is being decided? (one sentence, one choice)
- [ ] Who decides, and who is affected?
- [ ] What is the deadline or trigger?
- [ ] What is the "do nothing / status quo" option? (always an option)
- [ ] What would make this decision moot?

> **Tip:** 
> If your framing contains "and" joining two separate choices, split it. One decision per frame.

### 1.2 Goals, Constraints, and Success Criteria

| Element | Question it answers | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Goal** | What outcome do I want? | Reduce time-to-hire by 20% |
| **Constraint** | What is non-negotiable? | Budget under $10k, must ship by Q3 |
| **Success criterion** | How will I know it worked? | Measurable, dated, observable |

**Rules**
- Separate **hard constraints** (cannot violate) from **soft constraints** (preferences with a price).
- Every goal needs a **success criterion** that is observable, not a feeling.
- If two goals conflict, rank them before comparing options.

| Constraint type | Test | If violated |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hard | Legal, safety, budget ceiling, deadline | Option is out, no debate |
| Soft | Nice to have, tradeable | Allowed, but note the cost |

### 1.3 Facts vs Preferences: What Counts as Evidence