Editorial draft available to read. Factual and language review is pending. Examples are illustrative.
Decision and scope
Record consequential architecture decisions with their context, considered alternatives, rationale and consequences. The document should explain why a solution exists rather than repeat a list of chosen tools. Include the assumptions and circumstances that would justify reconsidering the decision during future maintenance.
Illustrative example
Illustrative example: invoicing remains in an existing system while the portal stores references to its records. The decision explains data ownership, integration dependencies and limits. A new team can understand why creating an independent second financial record would conflict with the intended design, even if that shortcut appears convenient for a new screen.
Acceptance check
Review these records when requirements or constraints change. Mark superseded decisions and link their replacements. Accept the record when someone who did not attend the original discussion can understand the tradeoff and identify which assumption must change before it is reconsidered.
Key takeaways
- Accept the record when someone who did not attend the original discussion can understand the tradeoff and identify which assumption must change before it is reconsidered.