thinking-reversibility
Reversibility Thinking
Overview
Jeff Bezos distinguishes between Type 1 (irreversible, one-way door) and Type 2 (reversible, two-way door) decisions. The key insight: most decisions are Type 2 but get treated as Type 1, causing analysis paralysis. Match your decision process to the reversibility of the decision.
Core Principle: Reversible decisions should be made quickly by individuals. Irreversible decisions deserve deliberation. Most decisions are more reversible than they appear.
When to Use
- Technology choices
- Architecture decisions
- Process changes
- Hiring decisions
- Feature implementations
- Organizational changes
- Any decision where you're uncertain how much analysis is warranted
Decision flow:
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