A product decision record is a short document that captures an important choice: the context, the options considered with pros and cons, the criteria, the decision and its reasoning, the expected consequences, how costly it is to go back and when to review it. Inspired by software architecture decision records, it builds organisational memory, avoids reopening settled debates and makes it possible to learn from decisions that did not work.
How to use
- State what is being decided, its status and the accountable role (a job title, not a name).
- Describe the context and list at least two options, with pros and cons.
- State the criteria and write the decision, naming the chosen option.
- Record the consequences, the reversibility and the review date.
- Check the quality list and export as PDF, DOCX or Markdown for the team repository.
What each field asks for
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| What is being decided | A short title, like a question that has been answered. |
| Status | |
| Accountable role | The job title or role accountable for the decision, not the person’s name. |
| Context | The problem, data and constraints that led to the decision. |
| Option | E.g. price per monthly active user |
| Pros | E.g. tracks the value received |
| Cons | E.g. less predictable revenue |
| Decision criteria | What weighed on the choice, in order of importance. |
| Decision and why | Name the chosen option and explain it against the criteria. |
| Reversibility | How much it costs to go back. |
| Consequences | What changes, what gets harder, what needs to happen next. |
| Decision date (optional) | E.g. 14 October 2026 |
| Review date | Required for a reversible decision. |
Example
A shared calendar tool team decides the pricing model for its team plan. Three options are compared: price per monthly active user, fixed price per user band and keeping the single price. Against the criteria of recurring revenue, how easily customers understand the bill and billing effort, the accepted decision is price per active user for new customers. As it is reversible, the review is set for 15 January 2027, and the tool marks the chosen option in the table.
When to use
- Before a decision that affects several teams, customers or revenue, to align the reasoning in writing.
- When the same debate returns every quarter and nobody remembers why the current path was chosen.
- To give context to people who join the team or inherit the product.
- For hard-to-reverse decisions, to make sure alternatives and criteria were genuinely considered.
Frequently asked questions
What is a product decision record?
It is a short, one-page document that records a relevant decision with its context, options, criteria, choice and consequences. The idea comes from the architecture decision records used by software teams, adapted for product decisions.
Which decisions deserve a record?
Those that are costly to undo, affect more than one team or raise recurring doubts: pricing model, target audience, retiring a feature, choosing a supplier. Small, easily reversed decisions do not need a document.
What does a reversible decision mean?
It is one where going back is cheap: you can decide faster, observe and correct. Hard-to-reverse decisions call for more evidence and more points of view first. Classifying reversibility helps calibrate the time spent on each decision.
Why name a role rather than the person who decided?
People change teams; the role remains. Recording the accountable job title or role makes clear who answers for the decision today and keeps the document from becoming personal.
Why list options that were not chosen?
Showing the alternatives, with pros and cons, proves the choice was compared rather than imposed. It also saves time later: when someone suggests a discarded option, the reason is already written down.
What is the review date for?
To turn the decision into a testable hypothesis. On the set date, the team checks whether the expected consequences happened and whether the criteria still hold, and then confirms, adjusts or supersedes the decision.