Decider Protocol

The Decider protocol is a simple decision making pattern. It provides a formal way for teams to make a collective decision in an efficient manner.

  1. Make a Proposal
  2. Clarify the Proposal
  3. The Group Votes
  4. Resolve Differences

Anyone who wants something should state it explicitly as a proposal. Keep proposals concise and actionable. Everyone in the group must vote and be explicit about their consent - in, out, or go along. No one in the group may pass on a vote.

  • Thumbs Up – Vote thumbs up if you like the proposal and will actively support it (i.e. be willing to champion the proposal).
  • Thumbs Down - Vote thumbs down if you can not support the proposal as currently stated.  You must be willing to amend the proposal to make it acceptable.
  • Thumbs Sideways - Vote thumbs sideways if you will go along with the proposal as currently stated.  The expectation is that if accepted, you will fully commit to this proposal.

Those who voted Thumbs Down have a responsibility to amend the proposal as needed to reach consensus. They must make a new [counter-] proposal to the group that they would be willing to support. When a counter proposal is being made, everyone should listen to the counter proposal rather than trying to persuade the audience one way or another. The group votes on the new revised proposal.

The Decider protocol has many benefits:

  • It forces everyone to take a position and be responsible for making a decision. No one can sit on the sidelines when decisions are being made only to criticize later.
  • It quickly exposes where people stand.
  • It’s fast, simple and easy to understand.
  • It’s easy to implement (no special tools needed).
  • It’s scalable to large groups.