2025: The year of the decision log
This has happened to us too many times. You’re six months into a project. Everything’s humming when a stakeholder suddenly asks for a change—something that directly conflicts with a decision made months ago. The tension in the room rises, tempers flare, and you’re left scrambling to justify why things are the way they are.
Sound familiar? If it didn't, it most likely will.
In 2025, let’s make “decision logging” the norm. Logging every decision made during a project—big or small—can save countless hours of backtracking, heated debates, and frustration.
Why do decision logs matter?
- When a decision is recorded, there’s no ambiguity about who made it or why. This clarity fosters accountability among team members and stakeholders. And it creates accountability.
- A decision log captures the “why” behind each choice. Whether it’s due to budget constraints, technical limitations, or user research, having that context readily available helps everyone stay aligned.
- No more “reinventing the wheel.” Instead of revisiting decisions, your team can focus on moving forward. We're more efficient this way.
- When questions or conflicts arise, a decision log becomes your best friend. It’s a concrete record you can refer to, preventing finger-pointing or miscommunication.
What do we include in a decision log?
Keep it simple and consistent. Each entry should include:
- The decision (write it in plain, no-nonsense language)
- The date it was made
- Who made the call (and who was in the room)
- Why it was made (budget constraints, timeline pressures, tech realities, client feedback — be honest)
- Alternatives considered and why they didn’t make the cut
At Scale, we’ve been actively logging decisions as projects evolve, not quarterly, not “when we remember,” but in real-time. And oh boy, does it feel good. There’s something almost magical about pulling up that record and seeing things we talked about weeks or months ago actually living, breathing, working. Oh, and with AI, we can have a second brain ready to go.
It’s become part of the safety net and the progress journal. When someone inevitably asks, “Why did we do that?” or “Didn’t we talk about doing it differently?” The answer’s right there. No scrambling, no guesswork. Just calm, confident, and clear.
2025 is the year to stop relying on stale documentation no one reads and start building dynamic, living context people actually need while they work. Decision logs aren’t busywork — they’re the running playbook your future self (and your team) will be grateful for.