Author Architecture Decision Records for Systems You Own
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Author 3 Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) for real systems you built or are actively working on — not hypothetical or textbook systems. Each ADR must include: the problem context (what constraint or requirement forced a decision), at least 3 considered alternatives with documented trade-offs for each, the final decision with explicit rationale, and the consequences you have already observed or expect to observe (positive and negative). ADRs for systems you own are defensible because they include evidence of consequences — either already observed or verifiably testable. Proof: a principal engineer or senior architect asks 'what would make you revisit the decision in your second ADR?' — you must answer in terms of your actual system's constraints and what specific evidence would change the decision, not the general principle.
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Study the Architecture Decision Record format: context, decision, status, consequences, and alternatives considered. Read at least ten published real-world ADRs from open-source projects. Author three ADRs for real architectural decisions in a codebase you have worked on or for a personal project: one about a data store choice, one about a communication pattern, and one about a build or deployment choice.
Proof required
Submit: three ADRs in the standard format (context, decision, status, consequences, alternatives considered), each linked to a real codebase or project; and a 200-word reflection on the difference between documenting a decision and justifying it. A senior engineer or engineering manager must confirm the ADRs are genuine records of real decisions.
What gets checked
- All three ADRs have an alternatives-considered section with at least two alternatives — not just the chosen option
- The consequences section addresses both positive and negative consequences — not just benefits
- A senior engineer or engineering manager has confirmed the ADRs are genuine records of real decisions