BW-301d · Module 1

The One-Question Test

3 min read

Every board memo should be able to answer one question in thirty seconds or less: what do you need from us? The one-question test is not a simplification of complex governance material. It is a discipline. Complex decisions still require supporting evidence, context, and analysis. But the decision itself — the ask — must be findable immediately. If a board member has to read the whole memo to understand what they are being asked to do, the memo has buried its purpose.

## Board Memo Opening — Template

SUBJECT: [Approval Request / Information Item / Discussion Item]: [Topic]

RECOMMENDATION
The board is requested to [specific action — approve, ratify, endorse,
authorize] [specific thing] at [terms/amount/scope if applicable].

BACKGROUND (2–3 sentences maximum)
[What situation or process led to this memo. Not history — context
required to evaluate the recommendation.]

ANALYSIS
[Evidence. Options considered. Why this recommendation vs. alternatives.]

RISK
[What could go wrong. What mitigants are in place.]

APPENDICES
[Supporting data, legal review, financial model — for members who
want to go deeper without cluttering the decision memo.]

Do This

  • Lead with the recommendation — the board knows the subject matter, they need the decision
  • Keep background to 2–3 sentences of genuinely necessary context
  • Move supporting depth to clearly labeled appendices

Avoid This

  • Write a narrative arc that builds to the ask — boards read the end first
  • Include history the board lived through — they remember the last meeting
  • Put the risk section after the recommendation asks — risk informs the decision, it cannot come after it