What Makes a Decision Note Useful Later?

Imagine a teammate joins a project after an important decision has been made. The notes say what the team chose, but not which alternatives were considered or what uncertainty remained.

The decision is recorded, yet the reasoning has gone missing. A future reader may mistake a choice made for one moment’s constraints as a rule for every situation.

When you document a decision, what context is essential for someone to use it responsibly later—and what can be left out so the note stays clear and readable?