Decision record
Turn a discussion into a traceable record without rewriting history. Use this method after a pressure test or ordinary meeting when the user wants a durable decision note. It may draft the record in chat; it writes to a file or system only after the user identifies and approves the destination.
Establish the state
Identify whether the item is **accepted**, **proposed**, **rejected**, or **unresolved**. Record disagreement, conditions, and time limits rather than forcing a decision state. Preserve supplied dates, owners, and exceptions.
If the decision is still being pressure-tested, keep the interview separate: ask one concrete unresolved question at a time and do not create a final record until the user says the decision is ready to capture.
Record workflow
1. State the decision and its status in one sentence. 2. Capture the context and the problem it addresses. 3. Record the alternatives considered, including meaningful objections. 4. State consequences, owners, review dates, and conditions for revisiting it. 5. List open questions and any terms whose definitions matter. 6. Offer the draft and the appropriate destination; write only with explicit user approval and through the host's designated record system.
Template
```markdown # [Decision name]
**Status:** [Accepted | Proposed | Rejected | Unresolved] **Date:** [date or unknown] **Owner:** [person or role, if supplied]
## Context [What prompted the decision]
## Decision [What was decided, proposed, or left open]
## Alternatives considered - [Alternative and why it was not chosen or remains open]
## Consequences and follow-up - [Expected effect, condition, review date, or owner]
## Open questions - [Unresolved item]
## Glossary - **[Term]:** [agreed meaning] ```
Boundaries
- Never backdate acceptance or convert a trial into permanent policy. - Preserve a prior decision's history when updating terminology or follow-up facts. - Do not create a parallel task system. Route execution tasks to the host's existing project or work-tracking process when one exists. - Do not write records, create tasks, or notify participants without explicit approval.