Things to make / Recipe 07 of 14 · Decide
Put a hard choice through three futures
What breaks if you choose the option you already want?
- About 18 minutes
- For someone comparing two practical plans without outsourcing the final choice.
- Runs in Claude Code and OMP
What the agent made
Ran it for real with Claude Code 2.1.292 and OMP 18.8.5 on 2026-10-08, in an empty session with no saved memory. Your result will differ.
| dimension | scenario | option_a_alder_studio | option_b_willow_room | source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup fee | all | $200 (due only if booked) | $100 (due only if booked) | option-a.txt L2; option-b.txt L2 |
| Room rate | all | $240/month x 2 months = $480 | $300/month x 2 months = $600 | option-a.txt L3; option-b.txt L3 |
| Two-month total (setup + 2 months) | all | $200 + $480 = $680 | $100 + $600 = $700 | derived from option-a.txt L2-3; option-b.txt L2-3 |
| Budget check vs $720 cap | all | Within cap; $40 headroom ($720 - $680) | Within cap; $20 headroom ($720 - $700) | constraints.txt L2 + totals above |
| Capacity vs 10 minimum | all | 12 participants; meets minimum with 2 seats margin | 10 participants; meets minimum with 0 seats margin | option-a.txt L4; option-b.txt L4; constraints.txt L3 |
| Schedule | all | Evenings only; afternoons not available | Afternoons offered subject to availability | option-a.txt L5; option-b.txt L5 |
| Fit with afternoon preference (preference not requirement) | all | Does not meet preference | Can meet preference only if afternoon slots are available (unconfirmed) | constraints.txt L4; option-a.txt L5; option-b.txt L5 |
| Start-date availability (Nov 15 2026) | all | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | option-a.txt L6; option-b.txt L6; constraints.txt L1 |
| Cancellation terms | all | Unknown | Unknown | option-a.txt L7; option-b.txt L7 |
| Accessibility | all | Unknown | Unknown | option-a.txt L7; option-b.txt L7 |
| Payments made / commitment | all | None; no payment made | None; no payment made | option-a.txt L7; option-b.txt L7; constraints.txt L5 |
| Best case | best | Nov 15 confirmed; cost $680 within cap; 12 seats; evening-only sessions; attendance unknown (not forecast) | Nov 15 and afternoon slots confirmed; cost $700 within cap; 10 seats; afternoon sessions; attendance unknown (not forecast) | inputs above; constraints.txt L5 (no attendance inference) |
| Ordinary case | ordinary | Booked at quoted terms: $680; 12 seats; evenings only; cancellation/accessibility outcome unknown | Booked at quoted terms: $700; 10 seats; afternoon availability unknown until confirmed; cancellation/accessibility outcome unknown | inputs above |
| Plausible setback: Nov 15 not available | setback | Outcome unknown; no alternate dates or prices given in inputs | Outcome unknown; no alternate dates or prices given in inputs | option-a.txt L6; option-b.txt L6 |
| Setback sensitivity: any unquoted extra cost | setback | Exceeds cap if extra cost is more than $40; whether extra costs exist is unknown | Exceeds cap if extra cost is more than $20; whether extra costs exist is unknown | derived from headroom row; no extra costs stated in inputs |
| Setback sensitivity: afternoon slots unavailable | setback | Not applicable (evenings only already) | Falls back to unknown schedule; afternoon advantage would not apply | option-b.txt L5 |
| Reversible steps | all | Ask (no payment) to confirm Nov 15 availability; request cancellation and accessibility terms in writing | Ask (no payment) to confirm Nov 15 and afternoon slot availability; request cancellation and accessibility terms in writing | option-a.txt L6-7; option-b.txt L5-7; setup fee due only if booked (L2 each) |
| Warning signs | all | Any request for payment before terms are in writing; any added fee above $40; evening-only schedule if evening attendance concern is confirmed | Any request for payment before terms are in writing; any added fee above $20; afternoon slots not offered for the needed dates; any registrations above 10 | constraints.txt L2-4; option files L2-7 |
First 18 of 19 rows.
Open the whole file · Also made: first-week-plan.txt
The same prompt in OMP made its own version: open what OMP made. Two runs, two different results: that is normal.
Make your own
Get the files
Download the practice folder (ZIP)
Unzip it: you get a folder called
cli-practicewith 3 fictional files. Download three fictional text files: option-a.txt, option-b.txt, and constraints.txt.Open your agent in that folder
Open a terminal in
cli-practiceand typeclaudeoromp --approval-mode always-ask. First time? Set up in about five minutes, with steps for Mac, Windows, and Linux.Paste this prompt
In this practice folder, read option-a.txt, option-b.txt, and constraints.txt. Write decision-matrix.csv comparing both plans under best case, ordinary case, and one plausible setback; mark unsupported outcomes unknown, not forecast. Include source-backed two-month costs, capacity, scheduling tradeoffs, reversible steps, warning signs, and unknowns. Write first-week-plan.txt with distinct low-risk steps for each option and one assumption that could reverse the comparison. Trace every numerical claim to an input. Do not choose for me, commit funds, edit inputs, leave this folder, install packages, or access the network.
The prompt asks the agent to stay in this folder; it cannot enforce that. Read each file change and command before you approve it.
Check it yourself
Open
cli-practice/decision-matrix.csvin a spreadsheet app or text editor, then:Human check: Open the CSV and trace $680 for option A, $700 for B, capacity 12 versus 10, and the afternoon constraint to the three inputs. Check the first-week plan takes no commitment.
When we checked the recording above: Opened decision-matrix.csv and first-week-plan.txt, traced setup fees, rates, capacities and afternoon preference to all three sample inputs. Recomputed 200+2*240=680 and 100+2*300=700; no booking or payment step, no input changed.
Why an agent, not a chat window
The agent cross-references three local files, calculates comparable costs, and writes an editable scenario matrix and action plan.