Standard
Architecture Decision Records Standard
This standard defines how significant architecture decisions are recorded. Architecture decision records (ADRs) capture the context, the decision, the alternatives considered, the trade-offs accepted, and the consequences expected. They are the durable, searchable record of architecture practice.
- Type
- Standard
- Version
- 1.0.7
- Date
- 2026-10-27
- Owner
- Chief Technology Officer
- Approving authority
- Governance Library Maintainer
- Classification
- Public
- Confidentiality
- Public
- Category
- Architecture
- Review frequency
- Annual and upon material change to architecture documentation practice
- Licence
- CC BY-SA 4.0
Read the full text on GitHub (opens in a new tab)
Outline
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Principles
- 4. When to write an ADR
- 5. ADR template
- 6. Status lifecycle
- 7. Review and approval
- 8. Storage and discoverability
- 9. Integration with adjacent processes
- 10. AI-aware ADR practice
- 11. Quality expectations
- 12. Anti-patterns
- 13. Operating expectations
- 14. Framework alignment
- 15. Limitations
Frameworks it maps to
- Michael Nygard ADR practice
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010:2022
- Open Group TOGAF Standard
- C4 model
- OWASP SAMM
- NIST SP 800-218 Version 1.1
Related documents
- Enterprise Architecture Frameworkarchitecture
- Architecture Review Procedurearchitecture
- Secure Code Review Proceduredev-security
- Document Architecture and Interrelationship Frameworkgovernance
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