Project decision log: a simple template and practical example

“Why did we choose this?” is a difficult question when the answer is scattered across chats and meeting notes. A project decision log gives each important choice a short, consistent record: what was decided, why, who confirmed it and when it should be reviewed.

You do not need to transcribe every discussion. Start with decisions that affect scope, deadlines, costs or the way a project works. This guide includes a copyable template and a fictional example you can adapt to your own project.

What is a decision log?

A decision log records the outcome and reasoning behind a choice. Meeting notes describe a conversation; an action list describes work still to do. A decision log connects them by preserving the choice that led to that work.

For example, “Ask the supplier about delivery” is an action. “Use the existing display for the first event because a replacement cannot arrive in time” is a decision. Both can belong in your notes, but they answer different questions.

A decision log template to copy

• Reference and project:
• Date decided:
• Question to resolve:
• Decision and status:
• Reason and constraints:
• Alternatives considered:
• Confirmed by:
• Next step and owner:
• Review date or trigger:

Keep the reason specific. “Best option” tells a future reader very little. “Fits the current space and avoids a two-week delivery delay” preserves the trade-off. If nobody has confirmed a proposal, label it proposed rather than decided.

Filled example: preparing a small event

This example is fictional. Imagine a team preparing a demonstration stand for an event.

• D-01 · Autumn event · 7 October 2026
• Question: replace the display before the event?
• Decided: use the existing display for this event.
• Reason: replacement delivery is unconfirmed; the existing display passed today's setup check.
• Alternative: order a new display now. Not chosen because it may arrive too late.
• Confirmed by: event lead, Maya.
• Next step: Alex checks the adapter and packs a spare by 9 October.
• Review: after the event, or earlier if the display fails another check.

On a phone, the first capture can be much shorter: “D-01 old display for event. Delivery unclear. Maya confirmed. Check adapter Fri.” Add the missing context when you have a moment. The purpose is a useful record, not polished prose.

Keep decisions together in Lognote

Create a group for the project and use a consistent reference such as D-01 in related notes. A tag such as #decision makes the purpose visible; a separate #followup tag can mark a next step. For the basics, see organizing notes with hashtags.

Classic view is useful for scanning short entries in sequence. Keep the decision date in the text if it differs from the time you recorded the note. A note timestamp alone does not explain when someone approved a choice. The product illustration shows real Lognote screens with fictional English demo notes, not the event example above.

Update the record when a decision changes

Add a new entry that names the earlier reference: “D-02 replaces D-01: rental display confirmed for collection on Friday.” Include what changed and why. This makes the progression easier to understand than quietly replacing the old reasoning.

Keep proposals, confirmed decisions and completed actions distinct. “Approved” does not mean “done”, and adding a hashtag does not assign or notify a colleague. Share the next step through your team's usual channel. Use the meeting notes template when you also need the discussion and action summary.

How detailed should a decision log be?

A reversible choice may need only a few lines. A choice with several dependencies needs more context, particularly the assumptions that would make you reconsider it. Capture enough for someone outside the meeting to understand the decision without reproducing the whole conversation.

Start with the next meaningful project decision. At your next review, read the reason and review trigger before adding another entry. A small log that stays current is easier to use than a complete-looking record nobody maintains.