# When Decisions Keep Coming Back Use this path when a decision was apparently made, but keeps returning through rework, escalation, side conversations, local reinterpretation, or quiet non-adoption. ## Do not start with frustration The first assumption should not be: > People are ignoring the decision. A better first assumption is: > The decision did not carry enough rationale, authority, review structure, or shared context to survive the work. ## Observe Look for the signal: - people quote the decision but cannot explain the trade-off - teams ask the same question in different rooms - escalation replaces local judgement - the decision has no owner or review trigger - temporary decisions became permanent by silence - affected people were informed but not oriented Start with: - [[Decision Debt and Drift - Field Signals]] - [[When Why Becomes Who]] - [[Silence Is a System Signal]] ## Frame Ask what is missing: - rationale: [[Decision Rationale Must Travel With the Decision]] - rights: [[Decision Rights Without Context Create Risk]] - coordination: [[Decisions Are Coordination Interfaces]] - review rhythm: [[Decision Debt Is Remembered Ambiguity]] - knowledge travel: [[Knowledge Travel Map]] - safety: [[Truth Needs a Receiving System]] ## Act Use one small repair move: - [[Decision Rationale Check]] - [[Decision Handoff Clarifier (10 min)]] - [[Decision Expiry and Revisit Rhythm (5 min)]] - [[Decision Record]] - [[Decision Shareback Post (3 min)]] ## Learn At the next review, ask: - Did the decision reduce waiting or create new waiting? - Could people explain the why without the decision-maker present? - Which assumption changed? - Did disagreement surface early enough? - What should travel with the next decision? ## See Also - [[Decision Making as Distributed Judgement Map]] - [[Decision Hygiene Map]] - [[Decision Mechanisms Map]] - [[Knowledge Travel Map]] - [[Flow Readiness and Cognitive Load Map]]