Product Decision Log Template
A copy-paste structure for a lightweight decision log your whole team can maintain.
A decision log is not a project plan. It is an index of resolved choices — each with enough context that you never have to reconstruct a Zoom call from memory.
| Field | What to capture | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ID | Short reference | DEC-042 |
| Title | Decision in one line | Ship magic-link auth first |
| Status | Proposed / Decided / Superseded | Decided |
| Owner | Accountable PM or lead | Alex Chen |
| Date | When it was finalized | 2026-03-12 |
| Initiative | Related effort | Onboarding v2 |
| Context links | Evidence and threads | 3 user interviews, churn analysis |
| Alternatives | Options not chosen | Social login, SSO-only |
| Assumptions | What must stay true | SMB buyers prioritize speed over SSO |
| Review by | Optional revisit date | 2026-09-01 |
Entry template (copy this)
- Create one log per product or workspace — not per person.
- Log decisions when they are made, not at sprint retro.
- Mark old entries as superseded instead of deleting them.
- Review open assumptions quarterly on high-impact items.