Decision Making
"Everyone should have enough information to make smart, autonomous decisions."
Clear ownership of decisions prevents bottlenecks and empowers the team.
Who Decides What
| Decision Type | Who Decides |
|---|---|
| Technical decisions (architecture, implementation, trade-offs) | Project Lead |
| Design / UI / UX | UX Design |
| Infrastructure | Infrastructure |
Technical Decisions: Project Lead
If you're the lead on a project, you make the technical calls:
- Which library to use
- How to structure the code
- What trade-offs to make
- When something is "good enough"
You don't need permission. You have the context. Make the call.
When to Escalate
Escalate when:
- The decision affects other projects significantly
- You're genuinely unsure and need input
- There are security implications
- It requires resources beyond your project
Escalation is not weakness. It's judgment.
Design Decisions
For anything UI/UX related, coordinate with UX Design. Reach out early in the process:
- Before implementing UI components
- When making UX trade-offs
- For visual consistency questions
Don't finish a feature and then ask "does this look right?" Start the design conversation earlier.
Infrastructure Decisions
For anything that touches infrastructure, coordinate with Infrastructure. Reach out early to:
- Identify impact on existing infrastructure
- Discover patterns and resources that can accelerate your project
- Avoid rework from misaligned approaches
The goal is to make your project go smoother, not to slow you down.
Making Good Decisions
- Gather context: Understand the problem before solving it
- Consider trade-offs: Document what you're choosing and why
- Move forward: Don't let perfect be the enemy of shipped
- Be open to feedback: A decision can change with new information
Documenting Decisions
For significant decisions, leave a trail:
- Comment in the PR
- Note in the Linear ticket
- Message in the project channel
This helps future you and future teammates understand why things are the way they are.
TL;DR
Project leads own technical decisions. Design owns design. Don't wait for permission you don't need.