DefinedTerm · Decision Design Framework

Decision Logs

Decision Logs are accountability infrastructure connecting judgment, authority, evidence, execution, and outcome across a decision lifecycle.

Formal definition

A Decision Log preserves who exercised which authority, what evidence and alternatives shaped the judgment, how AI participated, what was executed, and what outcome followed so that accountability remains continuous and reviewable.

What it is not

It is not an output log, audit log, prompt archive, meeting minute, or immutable ledger by definition.

Concept boundary

A Decision Log records the accountable decision chain; it is not limited to prompts, model outputs, system events, or a retrospective incident narrative.

Relationship to Decision Design

Decision Logs make the authority structure designed by Decision Design traceable across delegation, escalation, execution, and later review.

Return to the Decision Design pillar

Structural components

  1. 01

    Decision, authority owner, and mandate

  2. 02

    Evidence, alternatives, AI involvement, and rationale

  3. 03

    Execution, outcome, review trigger, and later changes

Practical example

For a rejected credit exception, the record connects the AI recommendation, risk officer's authority, evidence considered, final action, customer impact, and scheduled review.

Research and working papers

Decision Design as Judgment Architecture (SSRN) ↗

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