Decision Logger

---
name: "decision-logger"
description: "Two-layer memory architecture for board meeting decisions. Manages raw transcripts (Layer 1) and approved decisions (Layer 2). Use when logging decisions after a board meeting, reviewing past decisions with /cs:decisions, or checking overdue action items with /cs:review. Invoked automatically by the board-meeting skill after Phase 5 founder approval."
license: MIT
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
  author: Alireza Rezvani
  category: c-level
  domain: decision-memory
  updated: 2026-03-05
  python-tools: scripts/decision_tracker.py
---

# Decision Logger

Two-layer memory system. Layer 1 stores everything. Layer 2 stores only what the founder approved. Future meetings read Layer 2 only — this prevents hallucinated consensus from past debates bleeding into new deliberations.

## Keywords
decision log, memory, approved decisions, action items, board minutes, /cs:decisions, /cs:review, conflict detection, DO_NOT_RESURFACE

## Quick Start

```bash
python scripts/decision_tracker.py --demo             # See sample output
python scripts/decision_tracker.py --summary          # Overview + overdue
python scripts/decision_tracker.py --overdue          # Past-deadline actions
python scripts/decision_tracker.py --conflicts        # Contradiction detection
python scripts/decision_tracker.py --owner "CTO"      # Filter by owner
python scripts/decision_tracker.py --search "pricing" # Search decisions
```

---

## Commands

| Command | Effect |
|---------|--------|
| `/cs:decisions` | Last 10 approved decisions |
| `/cs:decisions --all` | Full history |
| `/cs:decisions --owner CMO` | Filter by owner |
| `/cs:decisions --topic pricing` | Search by keyword |
| `/cs:review` | Action items due within 7 days |
| `/cs:review --overdue` | Items past deadline |

---

## Two-Layer Architecture

Storage follows the canonical two-layer decision memory (see `../agent-protocol/SKILL.md` → "Decision Memory (Canonical Layout)") — the same layout `/cs:decide` writes.

### Layer 1 — Raw Transcripts
**Location:** `~/.claude/decisions/raw/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.md`
- Full Phase 2 agent contributions, Phase 3 critique, Phase 4 synthesis
- All debates, including rejected arguments
- **NEVER auto-loaded.** Only on explicit founder request.
- Archive after 90 days → `~/.claude/decisions/raw/archive/YYYY/`

### Layer 2 — Approved Decisions
**Location:** `~/.claude/decisions/approved/` — one record per decision (`YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.md`) plus the append-only index `decisions.md`
- ONLY founder-approved decisions, action items, user corrections
- **Loaded automatically in Phase 1 of every board meeting**
- Append-only. Decisions are never deleted — only superseded.
- Managed by Chief of Staff after Phase 5. Never written by agents directly.

Migration: a legacy `memory/board-meetings/` folder may exist from earlier versions; read it for history but write all new entries to `~/.claude/decisions/`.

---

## Decision Entry Format

```markdown
## [YYYY-MM-DD] — [AGENDA ITEM TITLE]

**Decision:** [One clear statement of what was decided.]
**Owner:** [One person or role — accountable for execution.]
**Deadline:** [YYYY-MM-DD]
**Review:** [YYYY-MM-DD]
**Rationale:** [Why this over alternatives. 1-2 sentences.]

**User Override:** [If founder changed agent recommendation — what and why. Blank if not applicable.]

**Rejected:**
- [Proposal] — [reason] [DO_NOT_RESURFACE]

**Action Items:**
- [ ] [Action] — Owner: [name] — Due: [YYYY-MM-DD] — Review: [YYYY-MM-DD]

**Supersedes:** [DATE of previous decision on same topic, if any]
**Superseded by:** [Filled in retroactively if overridden later]
**Raw transcript:** ~/.claude/decisions/raw/[DATE]-<slug>.md
```

---

## Conflict Detection

Before logging, Chief of Staff checks for:
1. **DO_NOT_RESURFACE violations** — new decision matches a rejected proposal
2. **Topic contradictions** — two active decisions on same topic with different conclusions
3. **Owner conflicts** — same action assigned to different people in different decisions

When a conflict is found:
```
⚠️ DECISION CONFLICT
New: [text]
Conflicts with: [DATE] — [existing text]

Options: (1) Supersede old  (2) Merge  (3) Defer to founder
```

**DO_NOT_RESURFACE enforcement:**
```
🚫 BLOCKED: "[Proposal]" was rejected on [DATE]. Reason: [reason].
To reopen: founder must explicitly say "reopen [topic] from [DATE]".
```

---

## Logging Workflow (Post Phase 5)

1. Founder approves synthesis
2. Write Layer 1 raw transcript → `~/.claude/decisions/raw/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.md`
3. Check conflicts against `~/.claude/decisions/approved/decisions.md`
4. Surface conflicts → wait for founder resolution
5. Write the approved record to `~/.claude/decisions/approved/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.md` and append to the index `decisions.md`
6. Confirm: decisions logged, actions tracked, DO_NOT_RESURFACE flags added

---

## Marking Actions Complete

```markdown
- [x] [Action] — Owner: [name] — Completed: [DATE] — Result: [one sentence]
```

Never delete completed items. The history is the record.

---

## File Structure

```
~/.claude/decisions/
├── raw/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.md        # Layer 1: full transcript per meeting
├── raw/archive/YYYY/               # Raw files after 90 days
├── approved/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.md   # Layer 2: one record per approved decision
└── approved/decisions.md           # Layer 2 index: append-only, founder-approved
```

---

## References
- `templates/decision-entry.md` — single entry template with field rules
- `scripts/decision_tracker.py` — CLI parser, overdue tracker, conflict detector