1-3-1 Communication Rule

Structured decision-making format for when a task has multiple viable approaches and the user needs a clear recommendation. Produces a concise problem framing, three options with trade-offs, and an actionable plan for the recommended path.

When to Use

• The user explicitly asks for a "1-3-1" response.
• The user says "give me options" or "what are my choices" for a technical decision.
• A task has multiple viable approaches with meaningful trade-offs (architecture, tooling, migration strategy).
• The user needs a proposal they can forward to a team or stakeholder.

Do NOT use for simple questions with one obvious answer, debugging sessions, or tasks where the user has already decided on an approach.

Procedure

1. Problem (one sentence)

   • State the core decision or desired outcome in a single concise sentence.
   • Focus on the what, not the how, no implementation details, tool names, or specific technologies.
   • Keep it tight. If you need "and", you're describing two problems.

2. Options (exactly three)

   • Present three distinct, viable approaches labeled A, B, C.
   • Each option gets a brief description, pros, and cons.
   • Options should represent genuinely different strategies, not minor variations of the same approach.

3. Recommendation (one option)

   • State which option you recommend and why, based on the user's context and priorities.
   • Be direct, this is your professional judgment, not a hedge.

4. Definition of Done

   • List the specific success criteria for the recommended option.
   • These are concrete, verifiable outcomes, not vague aspirations.
   • If the user picks a different option, revise this section to match.

5. Implementation Plan

   • Concrete steps to execute the recommended option.
   • Include specific commands, tools, or actions where applicable.
   • If the user picks a different option, revise this section to match.

Verification