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Quickstart

This quickstart is the shortest realistic path to value in Confab.

It is written for a facilitator running a small decision with a few participants during the current MVP and closed beta.

Before You Start​

For your first run, keep the scope small:

  • 1 decision
  • 3 to 5 options
  • 2 to 4 participants
  • 1 question or 2 to 3 attributes

That is enough to test the core workflow without turning setup into a project.

Step 1: Create A Decision​

Start in your workspace and use the quickest available creation path. For most first-time users, that means the quick-create or wizard flow.

Write a title that states the real decision question clearly.

Good examples:

  • Which analytics vendor should we adopt this quarter?
  • Which feature should ship next?
  • Which architecture approach should the team choose?

Add a short description with enough context that an invitee can understand the problem without a meeting.

Step 2: Add Options​

Add the serious alternatives you want the group to evaluate.

Good first-pass option lists are:

  • short
  • distinct from one another
  • realistic enough to compare honestly

Avoid loading in every possible idea. Three to five strong options is usually enough.

Step 3: Add Structure​

Confab works best when you add just enough structure to help the group compare options.

You can do that in two main ways:

  • Questions for participant input such as confidence, preference, or concerns
  • Attributes for comparable facts such as cost, effort, risk, or expected impact

For a first run, choose one of these patterns:

  • one question plus comments
  • two or three attributes
  • a small mix of both

Do not over-model the first decision. The goal is clarity, not exhaustiveness.

Step 4: Invite Participants​

Invite the people who have context, authority, or useful perspective.

Assign roles based on what they need to do:

  • Owner manages the decision and participants
  • Editor updates decision content and options
  • Responder submits feedback and answers questions
  • Viewer follows the decision without editing

For a first test, invite a small group that can realistically complete the workflow within a few days.

Step 5: Ask For Responses​

Once the decision is set up, ask participants to review each option and submit responses.

The product supports asynchronous contribution, so people do not need to be in the same meeting to move the decision forward.

Ask participants to focus on:

  • answering the questions consistently
  • calling out missing information
  • explaining strong objections or support clearly

Step 6: Review Compare And Feedback​

As responses come in, use the compare and feedback views to identify:

  • where the group is aligned
  • where trade-offs are visible
  • where responses are still missing
  • which option needs more clarification

During MVP evaluation, compare and feedback matter more than advanced analysis. If those two views are not helping, that is important product feedback.

Step 7: Record The Outcome​

When the group is ready, write the final outcome and rationale.

Capture:

  • the chosen option or decision
  • the main reasons it won
  • any caveats, follow-ups, or assumptions

Then lock the decision so the result becomes the stable shared record.

What A Good First Run Looks Like​

Your first decision does not need to be perfect. It only needs to prove that the workflow is understandable and useful.

Success looks like this:

  • participants know what to do without much explanation
  • responses arrive without confusion or manual coordination
  • compare and feedback make the trade-offs easier to discuss
  • the final outcome is clear enough that someone can revisit it later and understand why it happened

Next Reading​