Record the useful context
A decision record explains the question, the information considered and the reason for the next step. Keep it brief enough to use and detailed enough for the next person to understand.
Connect records with action
Attach an owner and a review point to each agreed action. Keep related documents easy to find, with a clear version and a common vocabulary for the work.
Keep the record current
When circumstances change, update the decision and explain the reason. Preserve the context of earlier versions so that the team can understand how the direction developed.
Useful working documents
- Decision record structure
- Action and review log
- Handover document outline