Open Source Decision Brief Template

Use this template when an open source decision needs to be clear enough for people outside the immediate team to understand.

The brief should be short. Its job is to preserve context, not to become a report nobody reads.

Decision summary

Write one or two sentences.

  • What decision is being made?
  • What is the recommended path?
  • Who is responsible for the next step?

Example: “The team recommends a limited pilot of this open source tool for internal workflow testing, with security and privacy review before any public-facing use.”

Context

Explain why this question is coming up now.

  • What need, problem, or opportunity prompted the decision?
  • Which program, service, team, or partner is involved?
  • Is this related to adoption, policy, procurement, AI tooling, contribution, or stewardship?
  • Is there a deadline or external pressure?

The open source project or practice

Capture the basics.

  • Project, tool, model, library, or practice:
  • Website or repository:
  • License:
  • Current maintainers or supporting organization:
  • How widely it appears to be used:
  • Current internal owner:

If the decision is about policy or contribution practice rather than a single project, describe the practice clearly.

Public responsibility

Name the obligations that shape the decision.

  • Who could be affected by this decision?
  • Are there privacy, security, accessibility, procurement, labor, legal, or equity considerations?
  • Could the decision affect service delivery or public trust?
  • Are there communities, agencies, vendors, or partners that should be consulted?

This section helps keep the decision grounded in mission, not only technical fit.

Options considered

List the realistic options.

  • Adopt or pilot the project.
  • Continue current practice.
  • Choose a different tool.
  • Contribute to the project.
  • Sponsor or support the project.
  • Delay until more information is available.
  • Avoid the project for now.

For each option, include the main tradeoff in one or two lines.

State the recommendation.

  • What should happen next?
  • Why does this path fit the current context?
  • What would make the team revisit the decision?
  • What is intentionally out of scope right now?

Review needs

Identify who needs to be involved.

  • Program or service owner
  • Technical owner
  • Security
  • Privacy
  • Legal
  • Procurement
  • Accessibility
  • Communications
  • Community or partner representatives
  • Leadership

Not every decision needs every group. Include the people who can help make the next step responsible and practical.

First useful step

End with something specific.

  • Owner:
  • Action:
  • Timeline:
  • Decision point:
  • What success looks like:

When to ask for help

Bring in support when a decision crosses teams, affects public-facing work, involves unclear obligations, or may require contribution, sponsorship, or shared stewardship.

Next step: Talk through a first step.