A decision card contains the smallest useful account of one fork. It tells the operator what is happening, what can be chosen, what follows from each choice and which option the coding CLI recommends.
The coding CLI authors every part because it holds the project context. ROOK records and renders that structure without adding a second interpretation.
[Visual 2.1 — One open card enlarged into four stacked regions. The top region is "Situation" with a one-line headline and short explanation. The middle region is "Options" with three tappable rows. Each row has a second line labelled "Consequence". One row is outlined and carries a small "Recommendation" note explaining why the coding CLI prefers it. A thin footer links back to the full work without expanding the card into a transcript.]
Situation and choice
The situation states what happened and why the operator's intent is needed. It should be short enough to scan away from the desk, but specific enough to distinguish this fork from another one. One card covers one decision, so a report with several independent choices becomes several cards.
The options turn that situation into concrete choices. A decision card normally offers two or three rather than asking for an unbounded reply. Each option carries its consequence beside it, so the trade-off is visible before the tap.
Recommendation and context
The recommendation identifies the coding CLI's preferred option and explains why. It is a visible proposal, not an automatic choice. The operator can accept another option when product intent or a cost outside the CLI's context matters more.
The card can also point back to the fuller work. That reference preserves provenance without putting a long report into the decision surface. The bounded card stays readable; the underlying detail remains reachable when the operator needs it.
Limits
Structure does not guarantee quality. A card can still describe the situation poorly, omit an important option or recommend the wrong path. ROOK does not repair those problems by silently summarizing the card again. The operator sees the coding CLI's authored decision and can withhold a choice when the supplied context is not enough.
Next
See how a card affects continuing work in Card kinds.