Decentralized Architecture: Advice for the Process

Success in decentralized architecture hinges on how decisions are made, not just on the technical design. The article shows that without a visible, structured process teams either wait for permission or act in isolation, breaking alignment. By replacing control with a simple rule-anyone can decide after seeking advice from those impacted and from experts-the organization builds confidence and clarity across the codebase.

The Architecture Advice Process makes advice-seeking explicit. Teams post draft decisions, gather input from affected peers and subject-matter experts, and then own the final choice. This shifts the conversation from "who approves?" to "who should I talk to before we do this?" and creates a culture where accountability is shared rather than imposed.

Architectural Decision Records (ADRs) become the concrete artifact of this shift. An ADR captures the problem, options, chosen solution, and the advice received, all in a short, immutable markdown file stored alongside the code. The record gives future engineers context, reduces repeat discussions, and reinforces the trust built by the advice process.

Advice Forums extend the practice to a group setting. Regular, informal meetings let teams present in-flight decisions, surface blind spots, and learn from each other's reasoning. The forums are not approval gates; they are learning arenas that increase visibility, build trust, and spread architectural knowledge without re-introducing hierarchy.

The result is a cultural reset: architects move from bottlenecks to supporters, developers write ADRs for even small choices, and cross-team conversations become proactive rather than reactive. The organization gains faster, more consistent decisions while preserving autonomy and cohesion.