When you're under deadline pressure

What helps once you say the clock is real — narrow fast, or protect coverage. You name the state; no AI should guess it.

This is a two-poled spectrum — neither end is better. It describes how you'd like an AI to work with you, never who you are. Here are the two poles:

Narrow my options

When you're under deadline pressure, cutting to two or three strong options helps you more than widening the search.

You likely lean this way if: you tell me you're on a deadline and ask me to stop exploring and help you choose.

Keep options open

Even under deadline pressure, you'd rather make sure a better path isn't being missed before narrowing down.

You likely lean this way if: you tell me you're on a deadline and still ask for more alternatives before deciding.

Where they meet: Say when the clock is real — then agree whether speed or coverage matters more right now.

How Hunchful asks about it

You've told me you're up against a deadline. Should I cut us down to two or three strong options, or first make sure we haven't missed a better path?

Put it in a model your AI can read

In a Cognitive Model Protocol model, your position on this axis becomes a revisable hunch — with a confidence, an uncertainty, and a falsifier — that any AI can read and adapt to. Nothing is a fixed label.

Make your model →

Other axes

When things get messy — Synthesize first vs. One step at a time
Facing ambiguity — Make the call, note it vs. Ask first
Answer format — Tight prose vs. Scannable lists
Surfacing uncertainty — Flag it loudly vs. Commit, minimal caveats