Decision map

Create, find, read, and update the durable decision map for a large initiative before turning it into an implementation plan.

Use this only when unresolved choices can materially change an initiative's direction, scope, or plan. A request to design a recurring, multi-stage agent workflow belongs to x9-loop-engineering, even if it also has open decisions.

Durable map

Read the map format before creating or changing a map. Use a canonical initiative ID and retain former names and aliases so later sessions can recover the same artifact.

First follow the repository's local documentation convention. If it does not designate a location for decision maps, use docs/decision-maps/<stable-slug>.md.

Search existing maps by canonical initiative ID before searching aliases and former names. When one map matches, use it. When several candidates plausibly match, show the candidate paths and initiative IDs, ask the user to choose one, and do not create or update a map until they do. Absence of a confident match permits a new map.

Reading and reporting a map are safe. Create or update a local map only when the user requested a durable map; re-read the live artifact immediately before writing. Do not send, publish, or change external systems without separate authority.

Keep four kinds of state distinct: