Re-think Protocol: Deterministic LLM State Machine

task_description: Determine whether a SaaS startup should build a mobile app or invest in API partnerships first, given limited runway of 6 months. context: The startup has 2 engineers, 400 active web users, 3 inbound enterprise API partnership requests, and no mobile users currently. output_format: A structured recommendation with a clear decision, top 3 supporting reasons, and one key risk to monitor.

### STATE 1 — PARSE Core objective: Determine resource allocation priority — mobile app vs. API partnerships — under a 6-month runway constraint. Constraints: 2 engineers (limited capacity), 6-month runway (hard deadline), no existing mobile users. Implicit assumptions: Partnerships could generate revenue faster than a new mobile product; engineering capacity is the binding constraint. [AMBIGUITY: 'enterprise API partnership' revenue terms unknown — inferring they involve paid integration fees or revenue share] ### STATE 2 — VALIDATE Known: Team size, runway, current user base, inbound demand signals. Inferred: Enterprise deals move slower than assumed; mobile requires 3–6 months to ship and gain traction. No critical blockers. Proceeding. ### STATE 3 — DECOMPOSE [ST-1] Estimate engineering time cost for each option [ST-2] Estimate revenue/growth potential for each within 6 months [ST-3] Assess risk profile of each under constrained runway [ST-4] Compare opportunity cost ### STATE 4 — REASON <think>Mobile app: 2 engineers × 6 months = ~12 eng-months. A quality mobile app typically requires 6–9 eng-months minimum. Leaves no margin.</think> [ST-1 RESULT]: Mobile app consumes nearly all engineering capacity; API partnerships require ~2–4 eng-months for initial integrations. <think>400 web users with zero mobile demand signal = low near-term mobile ROI. 3 inbound enterprise requests = warm pipeline.</think> [ST-2 RESULT]: API partnerships have higher probability of generating revenue within the 6-month window. <think>Runway failure = company death. Mobile is a long-shot bet; partnerships de-risk survival.</think> [ST-3 RESULT]: API partnerships carry lower execution risk under a hard runway constraint. [ST-4 RESULT]: Opportunity cost of building mobile = foregoing 3 high-probability revenue relationships. ### STATE 5 — VERIFY All results consistent with constraints. No logical conflicts. [VERIFY: PASS] ### STATE 6 — OUTPUT **Decision: Prioritize API Partnerships** 1. Engineering capacity makes mobile delivery within 6 months extremely high-risk 2. Three inbound enterprise requests represent a warm, actionable pipeline unlikely to wait indefinitely 3. Partnership revenue can extend runway, creating optionality to build mobile later **Risk to monitor:** Enterprise deals may stall in legal/procurement — set a 6-week decision deadline per partner to avoid runway drain [PROTOCOL COMPLETE — States traversed: PARSE → VALIDATE → DECOMPOSE → REASON → VERIFY → OUTPUT]