Intrenion

Decision Gate Check

Christian Ullrich
Last updated: 2026-02-08

Purpose

This check indicates whether a set of decisions is explicit enough to constitute an irreversible commitment. It is not guidance, a maturity model, or a governance rule. It is a binary check applied at moments where work, money, scope, or responsibility becomes difficult to reverse.

Each item must be answerable with a clear “yes” based only on what is written. If an item requires explanation, interpretation, or verbal context, it fails. The check is applied to the complete set of decisions relevant to the commitment, not to individual documents, meetings, or people. If one or more items fail, the decision basis is weak or incomplete, and any subsequent execution is subject to ambiguity.

Decision clarity and integrity

Not all items are actively checked in every situation. Missing or weak items tend to surface naturally when commitments are challenged.

  1. All decisions relevant to the upcoming commitment are stated explicitly in writing.
  2. Each decision is expressed as a single, concrete sentence that can be accepted, rejected, or corrected without interpretation.
  3. Each decision remains clear and unambiguous to readers who were not present during the discussion.
  4. Each decision states what is being committed to in concrete terms.
  5. Each decision states the primary upside of making this choice.
  6. Each decision states which plausible alternative is no longer being pursued.
  7. Each decision specifies the downside or cost being accepted as a consequence.
  8. Each decision names a single owner with the authority to make that commitment.
  9. Decision ownership is explicit enough that responsibility is clear if downsides materialize.
  10. No decision depends on assumptions, intentions, or narratives that are not themselves written as decisions.
  11. The decisions are not mutually contradictory when read together.
  12. Taken as a set, the decisions form a coherent commitment that the organization can reasonably stand behind, even if individual decisions involve trade-offs or loss.
  13. Each decision can be questioned, corrected, or reversed independently without reopening the entire set.

Commitment visibility and stability

  1. Decisions are stated in a form that does not rely on silence, drift, or reinterpretation to hold.
  2. The decision set is the explicit basis for the commitment.
  3. When referenced later, the decision set takes precedence over descriptions, plans, or narratives.
  4. Disagreement after the fact can be traced to a specific decision rather than to vague misunderstandings.
  5. If execution slows or breaks down, it is possible to point to a missing, weak, or contested decision.
  6. Any change to the commitment requires an explicit new decision rather than informal reinterpretation.