# decision-canon

Orthogonal vocabulary and canonical model for decision-related concepts.

`decision-canon` is a research and design repository for a unified language, object model, and practical system architecture for representing decisions from lightweight informal choices through governed, executable, policy-shaping, and constitutional decisions.

The central idea is a **Unified Decision Object** that can be progressively formalized without forcing heavyweight structure onto simple decisions.

## Core thesis

A decision is more than a selected option.

A durable decision representation should be able to capture:

- the situation and framing,
- what was known or believed,
- available alternatives or interventions,
- objectives, values, and constraints,
- the decision method used,
- authority and governance,
- the actual commitment,
- intended and observed effects,
- and what was learned afterwards.

At higher levels, decisions may create policies that constrain later decisions, or even constitutional rules that determine how policy and authority themselves may change.

## Initial repository structure

```text
decision-canon/
├── README.md
├── INTENT.md
├── SCOPE.md
├── AGENTS.md
├── DecisionCanon.md
├── UnifiedDecisionObject.md
├── DecisionObjectSchemaDraft.md
├── ResearchProgram.md
├── Glossary.md
├── examples/
├── reviews/
├── history/
│   └── 2026-10-04-initial-exploration.md
└── workplans/
```

## Working principle

> One semantic object, progressive formality.

The same decision model should support both:

```yaml
question: Which database should we use?
choice: PostgreSQL
reason: It is sufficient and already operationally familiar.
```

and a platform-level constitutional decision establishing future decision rights, escalation rules, autonomous authority, and review mechanisms.

## Status

Seed / v0.1 research basis.

The concepts in this repository are provisional and intended to be challenged, formalized, implemented, and tested.