Decision-Centric Reviews: Operating the AI Factory

Technology & Software • ~8 min read • Updated Jun 5, 2025

Context

Traditional status meetings optimize for reporting, not results. AI programs need weekly decision flow: who owns the decision, what options exist, what evidence is available, and which gate we are at. Decision-centric reviews compress cycle time, raise quality, and unblock capital by making every session a forum to decide.

Core Framework

  1. Owners & Options: Each agenda item names a decision owner and 2–3 viable options with trade-offs (cost, risk, value). No “for awareness” slots.
  2. Evidence Packs: Short packets with metrics (answerability, time-to-decision, exception rate), user feedback, and risk notes. Links only; no slide theater.
  3. Gates & Rights: Standard gates (Explore → Pilot → Scale → Operate) with pre-agreed pass criteria and capital reallocation rights.
  4. Defect Review: Weekly review of defects (quality, latency, policy violations) with owners and due dates—logged publicly.
  5. Decision Log: A lightweight, versioned log capturing decision, rationale, owner, and next check date.

Recommended Actions

  1. Redesign the Agenda: Replace status updates with decision tickets. Cap items to what can be decided in the timebox.
  2. Publish Gate Criteria: Define objective thresholds for passing each gate; tie to funding tranches.
  3. Instrument the Work: Track leading indicators—answerability %, exception %, time-to-decision, rework rate.
  4. Establish Roles: Chair (keeps pace), Scribe (updates decision log), Guardians (risk/compliance), and Product Owners.
  5. Adopt a Cadence: Weekly decision review; monthly portfolio re-rank; quarterly capital reset.

Common Pitfalls

  • Status Creep: Agenda slides return; decisions vanish. Keep options/evidence mandatory.
  • Vague Gates: “Looks good” replaces criteria. Enforce pass/fail thresholds.
  • Unowned Defects: Findings without named owners or dates never close.

Quick Win Checklist

  • Create a one-page decision ticket template (owner, options, evidence, gate, ask).
  • Start a shared decision log and link it from invites.
  • Instrument time-to-decision and publish weekly.

Closing

When reviews become decision forums, throughput rises and waste falls. Codify owners, options, gates, and evidence—then measure decisions made per hour. That’s how you operate an AI factory.

Advisory by Straten AI Team

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