AI / Analysis & Decision Making
Choosing Between Two Options
Dimensions, worst cases, and the conditions for each option
Help me choose between [Option A] and [Option B]. Requirements: 1) List 4 comparison dimensions and explain why those four matter; 2) What is the worst case for each, and can I absorb it; 3) Under what conditions would I pick A, and under what conditions B; 4) Given my constraints [my constraints], give one clear recommendation — do not say 'each has its pros and cons'.
How to use
Write your own constraints down before asking; without them the answer defaults to 'it depends'.
Good for
- Both options have obvious upsides, you've been going back and forth for over a week, and every round of analysis lands you back where you started.
- You have to answer by Friday, and more analysis won't make it clearer — what you need is a choice you can execute under uncertainty.
Not for
- The options themselves aren't defined yet — option A could really be split into two different plans — and it will diligently compare inside the box you drew, locking in the box's flaw.
- The real difference is about values (whether to leave this city, whether to keep working with this person), not comparable metrics — a four-dimension scorecard just gives you false precision.
Example
Input
Option A, stay at my current company: about a 50% chance of promotion next year, a 15% raise. Option B, join a 30-person startup as head of business: a 30% raise, but nobody to learn from and a third of the current budget. My constraint: a CNY 18,000 monthly mortgage, my kid starts primary school next year, and I can't take an income cut.
What you get
What you want is a conditional recommendation with a clear pick — “under your cash-flow constraint, take A, because B's raise won't cover the six-month gap if the role doesn't work out” — not a four-dimension scorecard. It should also say what would flip the advice, such as the startup putting 12 months of runway in writing.
Common mistakes
- Asking for an “objective analysis” without giving your constraints (income floor, family setup, deadline) — you get an answer that is correct for everyone and useful for no one.
- Reading “don't say both have pros and cons” as “must praise one”: you get a confident-sounding recommendation and miss that “do neither” was a third option.
Try tweaking it like this
- Change “list four dimensions” to “you pick the four dimensions and say why not others” — you see what it considers important, and you can argue with the dimensions themselves.
- Add “if you could check one more fact before deciding, what would it be” — the choice collapses into a single highest-value thing to go find out.