What a good decision report looks like

Key questions

Most people ask AI what to do and get a long text back. But a long text is not the same as a good basis for a decision. A report that truly helps has a predictable structure in which it is clear what is known, what is assumed and what the next step is.

Here are five parts to ask for from any analysis, and what they look like in practice. The example situation in this article is choosing a packaging supplier, the same as in the sample report on the expertconsilium.com website.

1. A summary of the situation and an answer in a few sentences

The first part should fit on half a page and say where you stand and what the analysis shows. If you read it and are still unsure what you learned, the rest of the report will not help you.

In the example, the summary reads: none of the three offers is clearly the best on its own. The lowest price carries the highest contractual risk, and the financially most flexible offer introduces operational dependence. The decision depends on how stable the expected demand is and how much the company wants to depend on one supplier.

If a summary only repeats your question, or says that everything depends without saying on what, the analysis is not finished.

2. Options with trade-offs

A good report does not choose for you without explanation. It shows each option with its cost: what you get and what you give up.

In the example: Offer A has the lowest price but requires a 24-month contractual commitment and a minimum monthly quantity 20% above current consumption. Offer B is 8% more expensive, with no fixed commitment and a delivery time shorter by 5 days. Offer C is 15% more expensive than Offer A, includes supplier-managed inventory and a 90-day payment term, with no minimum quantity.

Ask for every option to be described in the same order (price, obligations, flexibility) so you can compare them.

3. Risks tied to a specific option

A general warning that "every decision is risky" does not help. A risk should be tied to an option and say exactly what can happen.

In the example: Offer A ties the company to a fixed quantity even if demand falls, with a possible penalty for missing the minimum. Offer B has the shortest history with this supplier, so its operational reliability is less proven. Offer C introduces dependence on the supplier's inventory system and requires sharing internal inventory data.

The report should also point out what applies to every option. In the example, none of the offers clearly specifies a clause on raw-material price changes during the contract.

4. Assumptions and open questions

This part is easy to skip, and it is exactly the part that shows where the analysis may be wrong. Every analysis rests on assumptions, and they should be written down plainly.

In the example: it is assumed that demand will stay stable or grow over the next 24 months. It is not clear whether Offer C allows termination without penalty if the inventory-management system fails to meet the agreed service level. It is also unclear whether the supplier behind Offer B can handle a sudden rise in orders.

5. A recommendation and a concrete next step

A recommendation does not have to name one winner. In the example, the recommendation is not to choose solely on the lowest price, to ask Offer A for a smaller minimum quantity or a review clause if demand falls, to ask Offer C for a clear termination policy and data-sharing terms, and to check references and operational capacity for Offer B.

What matters is that the next step is concrete. In the example: ask all three suppliers for written clarification of the open questions before the final decision, and consider a trial period of 3 to 6 months before signing a long-term contract.

Warning

A report helps you see a decision from several angles. The report is a business analysis, not legal, tax or financial advice, and the decision is always yours. The best test is whether the report you have contains all five parts, and if not, what is missing.

With Expert Consilium, you receive a structured report like this.

Level we suggest: Essential (4 AI perspectives, 9 EUR) or Consilium (8 AI perspectives, 19 EUR).

Sample report: expertconsilium.com/sample-report