emsenn

SKILL

2 min read

Record a decision about: $ARGUMENTS

Instructions

  1. Read the plans specification at content/technology/specifications/agential-semioverse-repository/plans/index.md for decision record format.

  2. Determine the next decision number:

ls content/technology/specifications/agential-semioverse-repository/plans/decisions/[0-9]*.md 2>/dev/null | sort | tail -1

If no decisions exist, start at 0001. Otherwise increment.

  1. Copy the template:
cp content/technology/specifications/agential-semioverse-repository/plans/decisions/_template-decision.md \
   content/technology/specifications/agential-semioverse-repository/plans/decisions/NNNN-slug.md

  1. Fill in the decision record:

    • title: concise description of what was decided
    • date-created: today’s date in ISO 8601
    • authors: who made or proposed the decision
    • status: accepted if emsenn approved it during the session, proposed if recording a recommendation for review
    • Context: what situation prompted this decision — what forces were at play, what problem needed solving
    • Decision: what was decided, stated clearly and directly
    • Consequences: what follows — what becomes easier, what becomes harder, what needs watching
    • Alternatives considered: what was rejected and why — include at least one alternative with a reason for rejection

  2. Decision records are append-only. When a decision is superseded:

    • Add superseded-by: NNNN to the old record’s frontmatter
    • Change its status to superseded
    • The new decision’s Context should reference the old one
    • NEVER edit the body of the old decision

  3. Report the path of the created file.

When to record a decision

Record a decision when:

  • A choice affects how the repository is organized or operates
  • The choice involved considering alternatives
  • Future sessions might wonder “why is it done this way?”
  • emsenn makes a directive that changes how agents should work

Do NOT record decisions for:

  • Routine content creation (that is a work unit, not a decision)
  • Temporary workarounds (those go in working-notes.md)
  • Implementation details that follow from an existing spec

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