Proposal (rationale)

The problem, and why it matters. Expected value, or the cost of not doing it.

Decision

accepted | rejected | deferred — date, who, and the reason. Empty until decided.

Plan

Filled once accepted. Significant design choices get an ADR — link it.

Requirements

• Explicit and testable.

Impacts

• Specs and ADRs touched, code areas, data and contracts, migration or ops, risks.

Approach

• The chosen approach; options considered and their trade-offs; decisions still open.

Acceptance criteria / tests

• How we will know it is done and correct.

Out of scope

• Required — answer, do not delete. What this item explicitly does not cover, plus the follow-up item id if there is one, or an explicit nothing deferred.

A blank line here is an unfinished plan, exactly like blank acceptance criteria. This section is the one that prevents an item quietly growing a second purpose.

Execution

Branch, key commits, notes, and any deviation from the plan with its reason.

Review

Verification against each acceptance criterion. What was checked, and how.