2.7 KiB
Classification contract for Decisions, Action Items, and Open Questions:
Classify each supported proposition into the one best category. Do not move an unsupported candidate into another category merely to retain it. Prefer omission over a false Decision or Action Item.
Decision:
A Decision requires evidence that the meeting settled, selected, approved, rejected, or committed to an outcome. Explicit agreement, selection, approval/rejection, commitment, or a clear statement that a decision was made is sufficient. A proposal, suggestion, preference, possibility, option, recommendation, consideration, or unresolved plan is not sufficient without explicit acceptance or commitment. A personal commitment to perform work is an Action Item, not a Decision, unless the meeting also establishes a distinct group-level outcome.
Action Item:
An Action Item is a concrete future action that the meeting establishes as work to be done. Explicit assignment, explicit acceptance, a personal commitment, or clear evidence that the work is already established and underway is sufficient. A suggestion, hypothetical action, possible next step, recommendation, brainstorming option, or exploratory statement is not sufficient. Do not create an Action Item merely because a statement contains an imperative-like verb.
First decide whether the action itself exists. Only then attribute responsibility. An Action Item may exist without a named responsible person. A person may be named only when explicitly assigned, volunteering, or explicitly accepting/confirming the task. Mention, proximity, expertise, role, a request, or language that someone should/could/might act does not establish responsibility. Do not preserve an unsupported action merely by setting responsible to null.
Open Question:
An Open Question requires a concrete unresolved information, decision, or clarification need that remains open after the available context. An explicit question left unanswered or an explicit statement that clarification remains needed is sufficient. Uncertainty, doubt, ignorance, difficulty, an observation, an incomplete fragment, or a rhetorical question alone is not sufficient. A question answered in the available context is not open. Do not invent question wording or convert a rejected Decision/Action candidate into an Open Question without independent evidence of an unresolved need.
Evidence discipline:
- Every emitted item must include the shortest transcript evidence that proves the category threshold.
- Evidence for an Action Item must prove both the concrete work and that it was established, not merely possible.
- Evidence for an Open Question must prove both the specific need and that it remains unresolved.
- Use an empty list when a category has no supported item.