Decision logs — a powerful way to gain consensus
How capturing and sharing team decisions can keep everyone on the same page and drive projects forward
We’ve all been there. You and your team have finally reached a decision that will drive a project forward. Satisfied, you move on to another meeting and a day or two passes. When it comes time to act on the decision, you can’t remember what exactly that decision was, why you made it, or where it was documented. Was it a quick note lost in email or Slack? Or maybe an informal conversation post-scrum? Those hazy, can’t-quite-remember-decisions can cause confusion and threaten to undermine what you thought was group consensus just a few days ago. That’s where the power of decision logs comes in.
Decision logs are an invaluable tool for reaching alignment and expediting your work. By writing down and documenting decisions as soon as possible, you can prevent missed details and conversations from being rehashed. Decision logs capture the status of decisions along with why an option was chosen and by whom. They not only include the decisions that were made, but also those that have yet to be made.
Decision log template:
What are the components of a Decision Log?
- Logged by — Who captured the decision
- Date — When the decision was made
- Decision — Brief summary of what the decision was
- Rationale — Additional context summarizing why the decision was made
- Status — Current status of decision, are we aligned or are discussions ongoing?
- Notes — Additional comments or questions related to the decision
Decision logs are the single source of truth and are easy-to-maintain living documents. Getting in the habit of updating and frequently sharing with cross-functional teams will make sure everyone is always on the same page.
