How to Create Community Decision Summaries

A decision summary helps a community move forward without requiring everyone to reconstruct a long conversation. It should be concise but complete enough to preserve meaning.

State the decision first. Readers should quickly understand what will happen or what has changed.

Include the reason and relevant constraints. A decision is easier to understand when its purpose and tradeoffs remain visible.

Name what was considered. A short note about alternatives can prevent the same options from being debated without new information.

Clarify timing and responsibility. Members need to know when the decision applies and who will handle the next step.

Separate settled points from open questions. Not every detail needs to be resolved before a community can act.

Invite corrections to the record. Accurate summaries build trust because people can recognize their input even when the final decision differs from their preference.