How to prepare a decision brief before meeting an advisor

What is a decision brief and why prepare one?

A decision brief is a one-page description of a choice you have to make. It names the question, the options, the facts that matter, the context, the person who decides, and the date. Its job is to give the advisor everything needed to scope the work in a single conversation.

Writing the brief also helps you. Many choices look clear in conversation and show gaps on paper: a missing figure, an undefined option, a deadline that nobody owns. Filling those gaps before the call saves time for both sides and often sharpens the decision itself. A page that one reader can scan in two minutes is the right size.

Once the advisor has scoped the work, the brief can grow into a memo for the people who approve. The memo asks for one choice by a stated date, in 6 blocks on one page. The guide to decision memo structure shows how to order the blocks and how to cite a score.

How do you state the decision in one clear sentence?

Start with a question that has two or three possible answers. Compare these two versions: a general topic such as the Johor expansion, and a question such as whether to open a second site in Johor or in Bangkok this year. The second version points at options, and a model can score options. Test the sentence on a colleague: if two people read it the same way, it is ready.

The EQOS Asia pricing page offers examples of well-formed questions: whether to accept a position, whether to sell now, whether to sign a contract, and whether an investment is viable (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026). Write yours in the same direct style, and keep it under 25 words.

Which facts belong in a decision brief?

Include five to ten facts that would change the answer if they moved. Typical entries are a price, a date, a headcount, an exposure, a contract term, or a market figure. Give each one a source and a date, and state the currency. A dated fact can be refreshed, and a sourced fact can be checked.

Add the documents you can share, and list them by name only. The advisor will ask for the files that matter after the NDA is in place. A short list of documents, such as the contract draft, the latest accounts, and the meeting minutes, tells the advisor which tier of analysis is realistic. Mark the facts you are unsure about, because the advisor can help check them.

How do you describe the countries, currencies, and constraints of a decision?

Context is where regional decisions differ from local ones. State the countries involved, the currencies of the figures, and the regulatory settings that apply. The EQOS Asia method is built for decisions that span several Asian countries, currencies, and regulatory settings (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026).

Add the constraints in plain words: the budget range, the hard deadline, the stakeholders who must agree, and any commitments already made. Constraints narrow the options, and a brief that lists them lets the advisor propose a realistic scope instead of a generic one. A single line per constraint is enough.

What does the EQOS Asia contact form ask for in a decision brief?

The form asks who you are, with three profiles: individual or family, business or company, and enterprise. It then asks for an optional tier of interest, your name and email, an optional phone number, the company if applicable, and a description of your situation in a few lines, with the countries and currencies involved (EQOS Asia contact page, as of October 2026).

Your one-page brief supplies every answer. Paste the question and the two or three key facts into the description field. Select a tier if you have a preference, or choose the option for readers who are not sure yet. The 8 tiers and their prices are listed on the pricing page.

How do you use the brief in the 30-minute pre-diagnostic?

For the 30-minute pre-diagnostic, EQOS Asia answers within 24 hours on business days with a video slot during Asia hours, in Singapore time (SGT, UTC+8). The call qualifies your need, identifies the right format, and says whether the method is relevant to your case, and you are free to stop afterwards (EQOS Asia contact page, as of October 2026).

A simple plan for the 30 minutes: read the question aloud, walk through the options, review the key facts, then agree on the tier and the next step. If the order goes ahead, the standard workflow opens with an initial briefing of 60 to 90 minutes, where your brief becomes the scope document (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026).

How do you send the brief securely?

Send the brief once you are comfortable with the confidentiality terms. EQOS Asia signs a systematic NDA before any exchange, and the order flow includes a brief on your situation through a secure form, followed by a kickoff video call in Singapore time (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026).

Questionnaire answers are encrypted in your browser before they are sent, and the decryption key exists only on the personal machines of the founders, never on the server (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026). Keep sensitive figures for the secure form, and use the contact form for the short description. Name one person on your side who will receive the replies.

Frequently asked questions

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