Leadership Why You Need a Decision Log Published on 02 September 2010 - Revised on On a long project, project managers, sponsors and teams make a lot of decisions. How do you keep track of everything you have agreed? A decision log can help. A decision log is simply a list of all the key decisions made on the project. It includes: A reference for the decision Date decision made What was agreed and why Who agreed to it Where you can find more information or supporting documentation (optional) Project decision log example A decision log is better than keeping discussions on email or in another enterprise collaboration tool. All the answers you need and the justification about why those decisions were taken are all in one place. The decision log can solve many project disputes, especially when the team is working on a project that involves changes to strategy or approach or has a long duration. Just because something is on the decision log does not mean it is written in stone. When key members of the project team change or a new sponsor takes charge, you can review the decisions to date and check if they are all still relevant. If not, reverse or amend the decision – but make sure you record why this was done and who authorised it. Rate this article: 3.0 Print ElizabethHarrin Elizabeth Harrin, FAPM, is an author and mentor who helps project managers and their teams get more done with less stress. She does that through straight-talking, real-world advice, based on her 20 years in project management roles. She also writes the award-winning blog, A Girl’s Guide to Project Management. Full biography Full biography Elizabeth Harrin, FAPM, is an author and mentor who helps project managers and their teams get more done with less stress. She does that through straight-talking, real-world advice, based on her 20 years in project management roles. Elizabeth has written 5 books about project management: Shortcuts to Success: Project Management in the Real World (which was a finalist in the Management Book of the Year Awards 2014 and now in its second edition), Collaboration Tools for Project Managers, Communicating Change, Project Manager, and Customer-Centric Project Management. She also writes the award-winning blog, A Girl’s Guide to Project Management. You can find Elizabeth online at GirlsGuideToPM.com or on Twitter @girlsguidetopm. Elizabeth holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University. She supports project managers through her mentoring programme, Project Management Rebels, and also contributes to a variety of other initiatives including sitting on the advisory board for the RISE Being Lean and Seen programme at Liverpool John Moores University. Elizabeth has led a variety of IT, process improvement and business change projects including an ERP deployment and compliance initiatives. She spent eight years working in financial services (including two based in Paris, France) and 12 years in healthcare. Elizabeth lives with her family in the UK. x Contact author Google Plus Facebook page Twitter Linked In
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