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Manuals / Problem Solving / Chapter 7

C · Systems · advanced · ~35 min · Chapter 7 of 9

Tradeoff tables & decision records

Tradeoff tables beat opinions. Write down what you chose, what you rejected, and why. Future-you will thank you.

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Tradeoff table

3 options × 4 criteria (speed, cost, risk, maintainability). Score 1–5.

Tradeoff tableDrag stickies · tap for tips
Study mapDrag stickies · tap for tipsKeep it shortdrag · tap →Name the waitdrag · tap →Scope locatorsdrag · tap →Trace when stuckdrag · tap →One browser firstdrag · tap →Isolate statedrag · tap →Assert the UIdrag · tap →Retry wiselydrag · tap →Seed datadrag · tap →Close the loopdrag · tap →Keep it shortdrag · tap →Name the waitdrag · tap →Scope locatorsdrag · tap →Trace when stuckdrag · tap →One browser firstdrag · tap →Isolate statedrag · tap →Pathwise hackdrag · tap →Tradeoff tabledrag · tap →Try thisdrag · tap →Follow the dashed drag · tap →

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Table for Cypress vs Playwright vs Selenium (or any tool choice).

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Chapter learning outcomes
  • Tradeoff tables
  • ADRs
  • Second-order effects

Clear these before you leave

Side quest

Postmortem lite

Blameless 5-bullet note on a past miss.