NNNN. <the decision, as a short statement>

Driver: | Approver: | Contributors: | Informed: Date: | Status: proposed / accepted / superseded by NNNN | Classification: internal

Context

What was going on that made a decision necessary. Write enough that somebody reading in a year understands the pressure, not just the outcome.

Options considered

A.

Pros, cons, and why it was or was not taken.

B.

C.

Recording the options not taken is most of the value of this document. "Why didn't we just do X" is the question this file exists to answer.

Decision

What was decided, stated plainly in a sentence or two.

Consequences

What this makes easier, what it makes harder, and what it commits us to. Include the costs honestly: a decision record that lists only benefits is marketing.

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Numbered records are never renumbered and never deleted. When a decision no longer holds, add a new record and mark this one superseded by NNNN.