Architecture decision record template

The title of an architecture decision record (ADR) should be prefixed with "ADR". For example: ADR Architecture decision-making process

Status: Draft/Proposed/Accepted/Deprecated/Superseded

Problem statement

Terminology

Define the terms you'll use in this statement

What?

What is the problem or opportunity? What does it look like if we made this decision and executed on it?

Why?

Why is this valuable? What organizational objective does this support? And how? What if we do nothing?

Who?

Can you calculate the RACI? Who is working on the project directly? Who is maintaining a product or code which will be impacted?
Who has an operational responsibility which will be impacted?

Responsible

Who is doing the work?

Accountable

Who is overseeing the work?

Consulted

Who do you need to talk to and why? How do they intersect with this problem or opportunity? Why consulted? What is the level of impact?

Informed

For example, program managers/project with dependencies on this work

When?

What is the timeframe for making this decision. Are there already known milestones?

Unresolved questions

Specific questions that would need to be answered during this decision process

Resources

Any other reading or links

System model

This can include components, layers, personas, links to capability models, or any other artifacts needed to capture the current architecture

Stakeholder advice

After asking any clarifying questions, each team or party identified as a stakeholder adds their advice here

Proposals

A description of at least three options that fulfill the requirements, including a model of the proposed architecture

Decision

Which proposal was selected and why

Consequences

The context resulting from the decision, including positive, negative, and neutral consequences

Retrospective

If a retrospective is held, add notes here