# Decision log

A running log of the decisions a small team makes: what was decided, the options, the reason, who decided and when to look at it again.

> **How to use this.** Add a row when a decision is made, not afterward. Never edit an old row. If a decision changes, add a new row that replaces it and mark the old one superseded.

## 1. How to use this log

A decision log gives a team and its readers one place to see what was decided and why. It matters most for choices that are hard to reverse: pricing, hiring, ownership, scope and anything you sign. Write the reason at the time, because memory improves the story.

1. Add one row for each decision that someone might later ask about.
2. Write the options you considered, including the one you rejected, and the reason for the choice.
3. Link the evidence: a note, a table, a test result or a document.
4. Set a date to look at the decision again.
5. Never rewrite history. Mark a row superseded and add a new one.

## 2. The log

| ID | Date | Decision | Options considered | Reason | Evidence | Decided by | Review date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-001 | | | | | | | | Active |
| D-002 | | | | | | | | Active |
| D-003 | | | | | | | | Active |

Status is one of Active, Superseded by D-xxx, or Reversed.

## 3. Example of a filled row

**Illustrative example, not a real company.** A fictional invoicing tool for freelance designers.

| ID | Date | Decision | Options considered | Reason | Evidence | Decided by | Review date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-001 | 3 March | Keep the first price and add an annual term to both quotes before testing a higher price. | Raise the price now. Keep the price and add the annual term. Keep both unchanged. | Six prospects per group is too few to read a price difference, and the annual term raised the most questions. | Pricing test notes for the quarter. | The two cofounders. | Next quarter. | Active |

## 4. What belongs in the log

- Pricing and packaging changes.
- What is in and out of a release, and why.
- Hiring and contractor decisions, including who owns what work.
- Choices about customers: who you will and will not sell to.
- Any agreement you sign, and the questions you took to your counsel first.
- Security and data choices, such as which vendor holds customer data.

## 5. Checks

- [ ] Each row was written when the decision was made.
- [ ] Each row names who decided.
- [ ] Each row has a reason, not only an outcome.
- [ ] Each row links to evidence or says there was none.
- [ ] Each row has a review date.
- [ ] Superseded rows are kept.
- [ ] The log is stored with your other company records.

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World Enterprise, https://worldenterprise.org/. Last updated 2026-10-10.