opsiopsi

Opsiopsi is a term used in informal and speculative contexts to describe a recursive expansion of choices in decision making, design, and analysis. The concept envisions options that generate sub-options, which may in turn yield additional options, forming interconnected decision layers.

Etymology and scope: The word combines opsi, from Indonesian for "option," with repetition to signal recursion. It has no formal definition in peer‑reviewed literature and is not a widely standardized term; usage is mainly within online communities, thought experiments, or fiction.

Concept and methods: In a opsiopsi approach, one starts with an initial set of primary options. Each primary option is examined for potential sub-options, and those sub-options for further sub-options, building a tree of decisions. The method emphasizes surface-level consequences and dependencies that might be missed by linear analysis.

Applications and limitations: Proponents use opsiopsi in product roadmapping, policy design, scenario planning, and AI prompt engineering to encourage deeper consideration of trade-offs. Critics note that recursive expansion can quickly become unwieldy, leading to analysis paralysis unless bounded by constraints, heuristics, or stopping rules.

See also related topics include recursion, decision trees, option theory, and choice architecture.