Decision memo structure: one page for a clear decision
The essentials in 30 seconds
- A decision memo has 6 blocks and fits on one page of about 400 words.
- The first block states the decision requested, the deadline and the owner.
- The EQOS Asia Audit pillar returns a φ(S) score between 0 and 1 and names 3 priority risks (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026).
- A score below 0.618 falls in the STOP zone.
- A brief goes to an advisor, and a memo goes to the people who approve.
A decision memo gives approvers everything they need on one page. This page sets out a structure in 6 blocks, with a worked example and advice on citing a decision engine score, as of October 2026. It follows the guide to prepare a decision brief before meeting an advisor: the brief goes to the advisor, and the memo goes to the people who approve.
On this page
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What is a decision memo and who reads it?
A decision memo is a one-page document that asks a named group to make one choice by a stated date. It differs from a report, which informs, and from a brief, which prepares a meeting with an advisor. Its readers are the people who approve: an executive, a board, a committee or an investor.
The memo succeeds when a reader can say yes, no or not yet after one read. That aim sets the length at about 400 words, enough for 6 blocks of 2 to 4 sentences each. A longer document can follow as an annex, and the memo itself stays on one page.
What goes at the top of a decision memo?
Start with the decision requested, in one sentence that ends with a date and a name. For example: approve a second site in Johor by 30 November 2026, owner: the regional director. The reader sees the ask before any background, and every later block supports it.
Add a status line under it: draft, for approval or decided. A status line keeps one version of the memo in circulation when it travels by email. Keep the sentence under 25 words and test it on a colleague, who should be able to say what a yes would change. A precise ask lets approvers answer quickly and keeps the discussion on the choice itself.
How do you present context and options in a decision memo?
Context takes 3 sentences: what changed, why the decision is due now, and which constraints apply. State the countries and the currencies of the figures, as regional decisions mix them. A reader who knows the setting can judge the options without a call.
List 2 or 3 options, including the option of waiting when it is feasible. Give each option a name and a one-line description. In the example, the options are a second site in Johor, a second site in Bangkok, and a delay of one quarter. Named options let the reader point to one in the meeting.
Which evidence belongs in a decision memo?
Choose 5 to 8 facts that would change the answer if they moved. Present them in a small table with the figure, the source and the date. A dated fact can be refreshed, and a sourced fact can be checked, so the memo stays useful as the decision approaches.
Add the method behind the comparison in one line. A weighted matrix, a risk score or an engine score all work, provided the reader can see the inputs. Keep the full workings in an annex. The memo carries the result and the path to the workings.
How do you cite a decision engine score in a decision memo?
State the score, the scale and the reading in one sentence. The EQOS Asia Audit pillar returns a φ(S) score between 0 and 1 on 9 structural dimensions and lists the 3 priority risks, with a STOP zone below 0.618 (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026). A memo can quote the score, the zone and the risks, and point to the deliverable.
Give the reader the means to check. The Codex Universalis core is deterministic, so a reviewer with access can replay the verdict (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026). Add the date of the run and the tier ordered, for example a Decision at US$910 (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026). Keep the engine as one input among the evidence.
How do you write the recommendation and risks in a decision memo?
Write the recommendation as a sentence that starts with a verb: approve, delay or decline. Give the 2 strongest reasons, each tied to a fact in the evidence block. A recommendation backed by reasons the reader can find on the page earns trust faster than a longer argument.
Name the top 3 risks beside it, each with an early signal and an owner. Risks listed this way become a monitoring list after the decision. When an engine names priority risks, take them as a starting point and add those that only your team can see.
What should the next steps in a decision memo contain?
List 3 next steps, each with an owner and a date. Include the step that records the decision and its reasons in two lines, so that the team can find them later. Add a review date, on which the outcome is compared with the expectation in the memo.
Close with the sign-off line: approved, declined or deferred, with a name and a date. File the memo with the brief that started the work. If you need an advisor to run the numbers, the free 30-minute pre-diagnostic by video in Singapore time (SGT, UTC+8) turns your brief into a scoped analysis (EQOS Asia contact page, as of October 2026).
Frequently asked questions
How long should a decision memo be?
One page, or about 400 words, is a good target. Six blocks of 2 to 4 sentences fit that size. Put the detailed workings in an annex that readers open when they need it. A memo that fits on one page gets read before the meeting, and the meeting is where the decision is prepared.
What is the difference between a decision memo and a decision brief?
A brief prepares a first meeting with an advisor: it gives the question, the facts and the context so that the advisor can scope the work. A memo asks the approvers to choose, and it ends with a recommendation and a sign-off line. The same facts can feed both documents.
Who should write the decision memo?
The person who owns the analysis writes it, and the executive who owns the final call reviews it before circulation. One author keeps the voice consistent. A second reader who did not join the work checks that the ask, the options and the evidence are clear on a first read.
Where does the EQOS Asia deliverable fit in a decision memo?
It supplies the evidence and risk blocks. The deliverable lists immediate decisions, deferrable decisions and a recommended sequence, with a 30/60/90 day plan (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026). Quote the score and the 3 priority risks in the memo, and attach the deliverable as an annex.
Test your knowledge
1. How many blocks does the memo structure have?
- 4
- 6
- 10
Show the answer
6.
2. About how many words fit a one-page memo?
- 400
- 1,400
- 40
Show the answer
400.
3. What comes first in a decision memo?
- The evidence table
- The risks
- The decision requested
Show the answer
The decision requested.
4. How many options should the memo list?
- 1
- 5
- 2 or 3
Show the answer
2 or 3.
5. Below which value does a φ(S) score fall in the STOP zone?
- 0.9
- 0.618
- 0.1
Show the answer
0.618.
About the author
Stéphane Jambu
President, EQOS Forecast Asia
Stéphane Jambu leads EQOS Forecast Asia and works as a consultant in e-commerce, search visibility, and AI. LinkedIn profile
Sources: EQOS Asia method page (eqos-asia.com/method.html), pricing page (eqos-asia.com/pricing.html) and contact page (eqos-asia.com/contact.html), consulted on 22 October 2026. Page updated on 22 October 2026.