Have you ever found yourself scratching your head, wondering “Why did we decide that?” a few months (or even years) into a project? Or maybe you’ve joined an existing project and felt like you needed an archaeology degree just to understand the foundational choices?
If so, you’re not alone! The lack of well-documented decisions is a common pain point in development teams and organizations of all sizes. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce my brand-new mini-course: Documenting Decisions: A Practical Guide to (Architecture) Decision Records!
In this mini-course, we’ll explore the who, what, why, when, where, and how in the world of decision records, equipping you with the knowledge and tools to ensure your project’s history is a valuable asset, not a mystery.
What You’ll Learn in “Documenting Decisions”
We’ll cover the essential aspects of capturing and leveraging your project’s critical choices:
- What are Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)? In this lesson, we’ll break down the core concept of ADRs, exploring what they are and identifying the types of architectural decisions that absolutely should be captured.
- The Case for General Decisions: It’s not just about architecture! We’ll discuss how business decisions and architectural choices are often intertwined and why documenting significant “general” decisions can prevent future headaches and foster better alignment.
- Where to Store Decision Records: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here! We’ll explore the “it depends” factors, considering your team’s existing platforms, the benefits of “ADRs as Code,” and how decision records fit into more formal documentation control environments.
- When to Capture Decisions: Timing matters, but so does architectural significance! We’ll discuss the ideal moments for documenting, acknowledge the value of retroactive documentation, and explore the concept of “architectural significance” as defined by Michael Nygard.
- Writing Decision Records: What goes into a good decision record? We’ll cover the essential components and common pitfalls, helping you craft clear, concise, and impactful documentation.
- Using AI in Decision Records: This is where things get exciting! We’ll explore how AI can be a powerful ally in your documentation efforts – from acting as a notetaker in meetings to extracting key details into ADR headings, and even generating initial drafts to combat analysis paralysis.
Practical Demos to Get You Started
Theory is great, but practical application is key! The course includes two hands-on demos:
- How to use AI to generate an ADR: See a practical demonstration of how AI tools can kickstart your decision record creation, with an important caution about reviewing generated content for accuracy!
- How to use Just-the-Docs for an “ADRs as Code” situation: Learn how to leverage this excellent tool, especially beneficial for open-source projects, to manage your decision records alongside your codebase.
Valuable Takeaways You Can Implement Immediately
By the end of this mini-course, you’ll walk away with:
- A sample ADR that you can adapt for your own projects.
- Instructions for setting up ADR templates in Just-the-Docs for streamlined documentation.
- Tips for using Visual Studio Code Snippets to make writing decision records faster and easier.
Stop Losing Valuable Project History!
Imagine a world where new team members can quickly understand key project choices, where future decisions are informed by past learnings, and where “Why did we do that?” becomes a question of “Let’s check the decision record!”
This mini-course is designed to help you achieve that vision. Whether you’re an architect, developer, project manager, or anyone involved in making important project choices, “Documenting Decisions” will provide you with the framework and tools to make your project’s history work for you.
Ready to transform how your team documents decisions?