PSD.13:1 - Problem frame

Use this when analysis is available, or its decisive gap is known, but the recipient still cannot tell what the decision-support performer recommends and on what conditions. A score, workshop agreement or specialist answer is not yet a recommendation for this decision. The same need arises in an ordinary, non-contested request: “Which development direction should we consider over the next four months?”

Start with the receiving question and the strongest answer the available basis permits. Return a supported direction, retained or ranked set, bounded probe, smallest-result request, blocker or abstention. Do not force a single preferred action when the result actually supports a partial order or a missing-premise return.

Problem structuring and decision support is the wider practice. This pattern governs its recommendation-composition and return branch: turning qualified premises into advice usable by a particular recipient. It does not govern the recipient’s choice, the specialist Methods that produced the premises, implementation, or proof that the advice caused an improvement.

The gain is practical: the recipient can distinguish what is recommended now, why, what remains unresolved, what must not be traded away, and what evidence would change the answer. A complete result can be two sentences when they identify one missing premise and the exact recommendation it prevents.

Do not use this pattern merely to reproduce an adequate recommendation, report one specialist result, or make a choice from an already adequate basis. Use the direct communication, supplying-practice or choice guidance instead. An unformed opportunity question needs opportunity construction before advice; an unsettled engagement question returns to PSD.1. Neither case requires a disagreement workshop unless formulation, participation or dissent actually changes the result.