μ.democracy.
Democracy needs decisions that people affected can understand, contest and revisit.
The idea is simple: when you make a decision, get it in writing so that everyone knows what it is. This means that those in the room can be accountable, and those not present know what happened.
In practice, getting the words right takes some effort, but its a skill we can all learn.
μ.democracy starts with writing decisions down.
μ.democracy.
μ.democracy.
A decision isn't really a decision if nobody can agree on what was decided.
μ.democracy.
A decision isn't really a decision if nobody can agree on what was decided.
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If a decision affects you or your work, you need to know what was actually decided, and why.
It happens more often than we'd like to admit.
We all leave the meeting with a different idea of what was agreed,
or perhaps even if a decision was made at all.
μ.democracy.
Clear, visible, and useful, so you avoid having the same conversation twice.
Go around again.
Until everybody nods.
μ.democracy.
Record the answers to the four questions.
Give it a go, and let us know how you get on.
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Four questions, written down while everyone is still in the room.
There are 4 questions to answer to be able to record a decision clearly.μ.democracy exists to share the practice of small democracy as widely as possible. You are free to use these (as long as you don't sell them).
The decisions that you record should all follow the same format. This is helpful when you want to compare decisions or update a previous decision.
| Question | What to write |
|---|---|
| What was decided? | One clear sentence, called the "Resolution", written in the active voice. Eg We agree/we will/we decide… |
| Why? | What made this the right choice at this moment? If you are not certain, do you know enough to try? Include key evidence. |
| What were the options? | The option (s) that had genuine support. |
| When to revisit? | How will we know if this isn't working? And if it is working, how will we know when it has done enough? Be specific: describe the conditions for both. |
A decision record for a community group deciding how often to meet.
A simple one. Start here.
Revisit on a condition, not just a date.
A harder one: someone loses something. Write the why with care.
A decision about how to decide.
You don't need to use this four-question format for minor, operational details (like who is buying the biscuits for the next meeting). Save it for choices that change your direction, spend significant money, or affect how people work together.
Even if one person does most of the typing, the log belongs to the whole group. Make sure everyone knows how to access it independently so transparency is maintained.
The decisions made should be stored where everyone relevant can review them. This could be a print out stored in a filing cabinet or shared notice board or a shared folder on the internet.
Download the one-page guide, print a copy for everyone in your meeting, and start with an easy decision.
Download the guideNo. Write the decision in plain words that everyone in the room agrees with. Read it back before you move on, and change it until nobody objects.
Minutes record what was discussed. A decision record keeps only what was decided, why, and when to look at it again. You can keep both: put the four answers in your minutes.
Enough that someone who wasn't there understands what was decided and why. Stop there. If it doesn't fit on a page, it is probably more than one decision.
Groups have written down their decisions for centuries. The four questions are the smallest record that still works. Read more about μ.democracy.
Contact us and tell us what happened. We read everything, and it shapes the next version of the guides.
A decision log is a living tool, not an archive
If a review trigger is met (e.g., attendance drops), you must review it and see if it needs a revisit.