When to use this record
Fill in the decision record when a test period ends. It links the decision to the evidence, forces you to write down what argues against it, and ends with one concrete next task. Kept together, your decision records become the history of how the business was actually built.
How to fill it in
- Copy the test question and the rule from the validation plan, unchanged.
- Write what actually happened, with numerators and denominators: "10 contacted · 3 replied · 1 quote request".
- List the supporting evidence with its level.
- List the counter-evidence — even when the result looks good.
- Write alternative explanations for the result.
- Record the decision: continue, change, stop or inconclusive.
- Write one next task with a date.
A filled-in example
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Test question | Will small UK shops request a paid audit after seeing a sample? |
| Rule | Continue if ≥ 2 quote requests; change if ≥ 3 replies and 0 requests |
| What happened | 10 contacted · 3 replied · 1 meeting · 1 quote request · 0 payments |
| Supporting evidence | Quote request for 400 rows (original attached) |
| Counter-evidence | One shop says its platform already handles this |
| Alternative explanation | The request may be tied to a one-off promotion |
| Decision | Change |
| Next task | Offer a 400-row tier to 10 shops with 300+ products, by 20 Nov |
Inconclusive is a valid result
If too few relevant people were reached, record "inconclusive" and write what would make the next test conclusive — usually a better channel or more relevant candidates. Calling a weak test a "no" kills good ideas; calling it a "yes" wastes time on bad ones.