This template is deliberately short at creation and expandable at review. Copy it into your current tool or use the same fields in Diffined.

Fields marked “at creation” preserve intent before the result is known. Fields marked “at review” close the learning loop later.

Quick answer

Use this template to record the change, rationale, expected result, review plan, evidence, conclusion and next decision in one durable entry.

At creation: identify the decision

Copy the following fields exactly, then remove anything your team consistently does not use.

  • Decision title:
  • Location or asset:
  • Owner and change date:
  • Before state:
  • After state:
  • Reason for the change:
  • Expected customer behaviour:
  • Primary success measure:
  • Review date or evaluation window:
  • Source link or supporting task:

At review: record what happened

Do not force a winner. “Inconclusive because traffic was too low and the campaign mix changed” is a useful result when it prevents a false claim.

  • Actual result and comparison:
  • Evidence type: not measured / observed / before-and-after / A/B test / qualitative / operational decision
  • Important conditions or competing explanations:
  • Outcome: positive / negative / neutral / inconclusive / not measured
  • Confidence and why:
  • Human-readable conclusion:
  • Next decision: keep / revert / iterate / no action
  • Follow-up owner and date:

Example: homepage call-to-action

Before: “Book a demo.” After: “Get your free assessment.” Reason: clarify the immediate value before asking for a sales conversation. Expected behaviour: more qualified visitors begin the enquiry flow. Measure: completed qualified enquiries, with total form starts as a supporting signal.

At review, record the real comparison and any traffic changes. Do not reuse an illustrative result as evidence for your own decision.

How to keep the template useful

Require the before, after and reason. Make metrics optional for decisions that are not performance-led. Review open records on a schedule, and search for related decisions before approving another similar change.

Clear answers

Frequently asked questions

Can I use this template in a spreadsheet?

Yes. Use one row per decision for summary fields and link to a detail page or document when the before-and-after content or evidence needs more space.

Which fields are mandatory?

At minimum: location, title, before, after, reason, owner and change date. Add an expected measure and review date whenever the change is intended to affect performance.

How often should the log be reviewed?

Review items when their evidence window closes, plus a short weekly or fortnightly sweep for overdue results and unowned follow-ups.

Make this part of the next decision.

Diffined keeps the change, reason, evidence and conclusion together in one private history.

Try the working prototype ↗