[altacc]

Simpler to define what you want to do as Option B then produce an expensive & time consuming Option A and an unacceptable, risky and business damaging Option C. Then show the Powerpoint to the C-Suite and let them think that going for Option B was their great decision making skills. Everyone leaves happy!

[nucleardog]

Works great until someone’s asleep at the wheel and chooses option C! (Speaking for experience watching exactly that happen to someone else… repeatedly.)

If there’s one right answer, why even present options A or C? If there’s only one realistic option there’s no decision to make. Just go ahead and do the thing.

[altacc]

Because people tend to want to see options and be involved in the decision making process, especially if they're ultimately responsible for the work and its cost. For a similar reason as an architect I don't define in a ticket the exact code changes a developer should do, instead I define the intention, the reason perhaps make a suggestion and then we discuss.

And if they choose option C we make sure there's a paper trail to cover our asses and then a bit later find a reason to revisit the decision.