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Decision record generator
Paste the discussion where something was decided: a Slack thread, an email chain, meeting notes. Get a clean decision record with the context, the options, the decision, why, and what happens next, in the format you need.
Updated October 4, 2026 · By the Align team
Your text goes to Align’s AI providers to write the record. This tool doesn’t save it. Leave out anything sensitive.
How to use it
- 1
Paste the discussion
Copy the Slack thread, email chain or notes. Only the part where the decision was made is enough.
- 2
Pick the format
ADR (architecture decision record), a decision log row, or a short Slack-ready summary.
- 3
Check what it found
It only says “Decided” when the text shows agreement. Otherwise it marks the decision Open or Proposed.
- 4
Copy it into your docs
Paste the markdown into your repo, wiki or Notion, or the row into your log.
What belongs in a decision record
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| Title | The decision as a short statement |
| Status | Proposed, Decided, or Superseded |
| Context | Why this came up and what forces were in play |
| Options | What else was considered, with pros and cons |
| Decision | What was chosen |
| Consequences | What gets easier, harder, or now needed |
The format comes from Michael Nygard's architecture decision records. It works well beyond engineering, because the part people forget first is why, not what.
Example
Status: Decided Context We need a store for product events. The team knows Postgres; a managed column store would add a new vendor and a second query language. Options - Postgres: familiar, one fewer vendor; slower at very large scans - Managed column store: faster scans; new vendor, new skills Decision Use Postgres for now. Consequences - Revisit if event volume passes 500M rows - Sam sets up partitioning by next sprint
Frequently asked questions
What is an architecture decision record (ADR)?
A short document that captures one significant decision: the context, the options considered, what was decided and the consequences. Teams keep them in a repo or wiki so people can find out why later.
What is the difference between an ADR and a decision log?
An ADR is one detailed document per decision. A decision log is a table with one row per decision (date, decision, owner, reason, status). Use the log for the overview and ADRs for the big ones.
Does it make up a decision if there wasn't one?
No. It marks the status Open or Proposed and leaves the decision empty when the discussion never settled.
Can I use it on a Slack thread?
Yes. Paste the thread text. For Slack specifically, the Align extension can summarise a thread in place.
Is the text stored?
This tool does not save it. It goes to our AI providers to write the record, so leave out anything sensitive.
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Go deeper
- 8 min readDecision-making templates: 7 you can copy todaySeven free decision-making templates: decision brief, weighted matrix, pros and cons, ADR, DACI/RAPID roles, decision log and a decision-meeting agenda. Copy, fill in, decide.Read more
- 5 min readDecision brief template: one page that gets a decision madeA one-page decision brief template with a filled-in example: the question, the decider, options, a recommendation and what would change your mind. Copy it and send it before the meeting.Read more
- 5 min readDecision log template: how to record team decisionsWhat a decision log is, the fields worth tracking, a free copy-paste template, a filled-in example, and how to keep the log up to date without extra meetings.Read more
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