# Decentralized Decision Making ## Terminology ### Above and Below the Waterline This is a boating analogy where damage to the boat above the waterline does not threaten the viability of the boat. However, damage below the waterline will sink the boat. In organizational terms, this generally means any decisions that will be highly detrimental to the organization if the decision is a wrong one is considered "below the waterline". ### One and Two-way doors The analogy of one and two-way door decisions is that some decisions are reversible. Others are not. The reversible decisions should be allowed higher autonomy and only the one-way doors should be carefully examined and discussed to ensure it is correct. ### Consent vs Consensus Consensus is a decision making model where you try to achieve 100% alignment of the decision makers and "get everyone on the same page". Consent on the other hand seeks to find a solution that is within the comfort zone of everyone involved. Consent seeks to understand objections and expand the scope of what is being proposed until it becomes a decision that everyone can live with, even if it is not ideal. ## Resources Decision Making analysis: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVOsELu0U=/ John Buck's article: https://mirror.xyz/media.sobol.eth/_qfTMgEws2OZOMBxj-Elz7A0lto2gyaHmAFv_gKLYBE