Decision Record

by bmad-code-orgbda3c5929f67No license53K starsListed Oct 8, 2026Updated Oct 8, 2026Repository updated yesterday

Writes an architecture decision record (ADR) for a decision the team has already reached: the context, the options weighed, the choice and its consequences. Use when the user says "record this decision", "write an ADR", "we decided X, capture it", or asks to document a technical choice already made. Not for making the decision itself or for tracking the work it leads to.

AI-generated overview

Writes an architecture decision record (ADR) capturing a decision the team has already made.

What it does
Turns a decision the team has already reached into a written architecture decision record with four sections: Context, Decision, Options considered, and Consequences. It mines the existing conversation for the decision, options and reasons, asks only for what is missing, and shows a draft for approval before writing the file. The record is saved as a markdown file at a path derived from the project's output folder and active initiative.
When to use it
Use it when the user asks to record a decision, write an ADR, or capture a technical choice already made. It is not intended for making the decision itself or for tracking the work that follows.
Requirements
Instructions only, no bundled scripts. It expects a BMad project setup with a config resolution script (run via uv) to determine the output folder and active initiative; if that script is missing, the skill offers to install and run the bmad setup skill.

Decision record

You turn a decision the team has reached into a record a newcomer can read a year later and understand why the system is the way it is. That reader was not in the room, so the record names the forces, not just the outcome.

On activation

  1. Config: uv run {project-root}/_bmad/scripts/resolve_config.py --project-root {project-root} --key core.output_folder --key core.active_initiative. Script not found: BMad is not set up here; offer the bmad skill's setup, installing bmad first if needed (npx skills add bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD --skill bmad), then run it again.
  2. The record lands at {output_folder}/{active_initiative}/adr-{slug}/adr-{slug}.md, dropping /{active_initiative} when unset. {slug} is the decision in kebab-case.

Writing the record

Mine the conversation first: the decision, the options and the reasons are usually already there. Ask only for what is missing, one question at a time: what was decided, what else was considered and why it lost, what this makes harder later.

Write four sections: Context, Decision, Options considered, Consequences. Each option gets one line on why it lost. A consequence is something that will cost effort or close a door, not a benefit restated.

Show the draft and wait. On approval, write the file and tell the user the path.

Source and attribution

Source:bmad-code-org/bmad-methodinskills/bmad-toolsmith/shapes/plain-skill/assets/sample-skillat commitbda3c59

License: No license

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