Unit 5 · Lesson 19 of 20
Communicate a defensible decision
Write a concise decision record that exposes evidence, alternatives, uncertainty, and follow-up.
01 / Learn
The idea
A decision memo helps a team act and revisit a choice later. State the task and risk before the solution. Present the evidence and its limits, compare real alternatives, recommend one with reasons, and say what remains uncertain. Name who owns the decision and what observation would trigger revision.
Do not hide a tradeoff behind a polished mockup. In an export flow, speed may matter, but the user also needs to know which records and sensitive fields leave the system. Different roles may have different authority. If data is not available, say which assumption you are making and how you will check it.
A decision record must prove there is one perfect answer. It should show why a choice is responsible under known conditions and how the team will detect a wrong assumption.
02 / See the reasoning
Worked example
Fictional scenario
A team wants to replace a detailed enterprise export review screen with a one-click download.
An expert summarizes support tickets showing frequent accidental exports, notes that the sample does not reveal the rate among all users, and compares one-click export, a full review step, and risk-triggered review. They recommend a review summary for sensitive exports, preserve a quick path for low-risk data, and propose measuring correction and cancellation behavior after release.
Try a decision →03 / Decide
Guided decision
Which recommendation is most defensible given repeated accidental sensitive exports and a time-sensitive analyst workflow?
Feedback on your choice
What could change the answer: If classification is unreliable or every export contains protected information, a universal review step may be necessary until the underlying model improves.
This feedback helps you examine the decision; it does not grade your written reasoning.
Apply it somewhere new →04 / Apply elsewhere
Independent application
Fictional scenario
A mobile banking team considers showing transaction details before a recurring transfer is scheduled.
Write a decision memo comparing at least two flows. State the evidence you have, what you still need, consequences of error, and the signal that would prompt revision.
Make: A decision memo of at most one page with recommendation, alternatives, uncertainty, owner, and review trigger.
The memo ties its recommendation to evidence and consequence, treats alternatives fairly, and makes uncertainty and decision ownership explicit.
Lesson complete
You applied the method in a new context.
You studied the idea, tested a decision, and made an artifact for a new context. Keep the reasoning for your next UX question.
05 / Keep working