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A design rationale document captures the "why" behind design decisions.the context, constraints, alternatives considered, and reasoning that led to a particular solution. While designs themselves show what was built, rationale documents preserve institutional knowledge about why it was built that way.
develop-adr (Nygard format)develop-solution-briefdevelop-spike-summaryWhen asked to document design rationale, follow these steps:
Begin with a clear, one-sentence summary of what design decision was made. This becomes the title and reference point for the document.
Explain the situation that prompted this decision. What problem were you solving? What constraints existed? What user needs informed the direction? Include relevant research findings.
Document at least 2-3 alternatives that were evaluated. For each option, describe what it would look like and its key characteristics. Be fair to all options.avoid strawmen.
Specify how options were assessed: usability heuristics, technical feasibility, brand alignment, user research findings, business requirements, or design principles.
Walk through why the chosen option best meets the criteria. Be explicit about trade-offs.what you gained and what you sacrificed. Acknowledge where the decision is reversible vs. irreversible.
Every design decision involves trade-offs. Name what you gave up and why it was acceptable. This honesty helps future teams understand constraints.
Capture anything that needs attention later: metrics to watch, conditions that might warrant revisiting the decision, or related decisions to make.
Use the template in references/TEMPLATE.md to structure the output. A complete rationale fills every template section: Decision Summary; Context; Options Considered; Evaluation; Decision Rationale; Trade-offs Accepted; Reversibility; Follow-up Considerations; Supporting Materials; and Decision History.
Before finalizing, verify:
See references/EXAMPLE.md for a completed example.
~30 seconds. Free. No account. Every finding cites a rule and a line of evidence.