Event decision request format
You need the committee to choose between two options by Friday, and past requests have come back with questions instead of answers.
The short answer
A decision request is one page that states the question, the options, the cost and timing of each, your recommendation if you have one, who decides and the date by which you need the answer. Write it so the approver can reply with a letter or a word.
Log the request and the answer in the decision log, so the decision can be found later and is not reopened by accident.
The seven lines of a request
- Question: one sentence that can be answered by choosing, such as Which of the two venue options should we sign with?
- Why now: what is waiting on the answer and the date it must be decided by.
- Options: two or three, each in a few lines, including do nothing or defer if that is real.
- Impact of each: cost, timing, risk, and who else is affected.
- Recommendation: the option you would choose and why, or state that you have none.
- Decider: the person or group who decides, and anyone who must be consulted first.
- Reply by: a date and the form of reply, such as reply to this email with A or B.
Make the options comparable
Use the same headings for every option so the reader compares like with like. Where a fact is unconfirmed, such as a price not yet in writing, mark it as unconfirmed rather than estimating.
| Aspek | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Short description | Short description |
| Cost | Figure and what it includes, or unconfirmed | Figure and what it includes, or unconfirmed |
| Timing | What is fixed by when | What is fixed by when |
| Main risk | One line | One line |
| Who is affected | Named groups | Named groups |
Common faults
- The question is a topic, such as Venue, rather than a choice.
- The request arrives with a long attachment and no summary.
- Options differ in what they include, so the cost is not comparable.
- The decider is unclear, so the request circulates.
- There is no reply date, so the answer comes after the supplier deadline.
Where it fits in the meeting cycle
Send urgent requests between meetings and list the others in the pre-read pack for the next planning meeting. Check the responsibility matrix to see who holds authority for the topic.
Worked example · Fictional example
Asking a council to choose between two venue options
Fictional organisation and figures, to show the level of detail that is useful.
The fictional Persatuan Fiktif Arkitek Lanskap needs its council to choose a venue for its annual forum. Two quotes are in. Venue A is quoted at RM 42,000 for the main hall with staging included. Venue B is quoted at RM 36,500 for the hall, with staging quoted separately and not yet received.
The request states the question, notes the hold on both halls ends on Friday, compares the two on cost, timing and risk, marks Venue B's staging price as unconfirmed, and recommends Venue A on cost certainty. The honorary secretary asks the council to reply with A or B by Thursday evening and logs the answer as decision D-12 the same night.
Use this yourself
Decision request template
Copy into an email or document, one request per decision.
- Decision requested: [question that can be answered by choosing]
- Decider: [name or group]; consulted first: [names]
- Reply by: [date and time], by [reply format]
- Why now: [what is waiting, and the date it matters]
- Option A: [description]; cost [figure, includes, or unconfirmed]; timing [ ]; risk [ ]; affected [ ]
- Option B: [description]; cost [ ]; timing [ ]; risk [ ]; affected [ ]
- Option C or defer (if real): [description and consequence]
- Recommendation: [option and reason, or none]
- Attachments: [one or two, named, with the relevant page marked]
- Log reference: [decision ID]
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Decisions are few and the decider is one clear person.
- You can write the options from information already in hand.
- The committee responds within a day or two.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Decisions cross several committees or organisations and need consulting in order.
- Options depend on supplier quotes that must be compared like for like.
- Requests keep coming back with questions, and the programme is slipping.
Want the decisions prepared for you?
A conference project lead can write each decision request, gather and compare supplier quotes, check who must be consulted, chase the reply and record the answer in the decision log. Your committee or approver still makes the decision. Send the next three decisions you expect to need.
Questions organisers ask
Should I always give a recommendation?
Give one when you have a view and can justify it. If you are neutral, say so and set out the trade-offs.
What if the decider does not reply by the date?
State in the request what happens if there is no reply, such as the earlier hold lapses. Then follow up once and escalate to the chair.
Can a decision be made over messaging apps?
Yes if the decider replies clearly and you copy the answer into the log with the date. Avoid ambiguous replies like thumbs-up on a long message.
How many options should I give?
Two or three. More than that usually means a shortlisting step is missing.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.