A decision register can keep unresolved choices from quietly becoming construction delays.
The tiles have not been selected, the feature light is still being discussed and the joinery detail is waiting for a response. Each item looks manageable on its own. Together, they can leave a site team unable to order, coordinate or finish the next stage.
A decision register gives those choices a place in the programme. It turns “waiting on the client” into a specific request that someone can answer.
Write the decision so it can be made
Each entry needs the choice, the person authorised to make it, the information required and the date it is needed. Explain the programme or cost consequence of delay using the best current information, without presenting an estimate as a certainty.
For example, “confirm the approved joinery finish by Friday so the order can be released” is more useful than “joinery outstanding”. Attach the relevant options and identify anything that still needs technical assessment.
A client should not be asked to approve a substitution without understanding what changes. MBIE’s guidance makes clear that product changes may require compliance assessment; customer selection and the applicable consent process are not interchangeable.
Record an actual decision
A conversation can move a choice forward, but the project needs a clear record of the outcome. Confirm the selected option, relevant documents and any agreed effects on price or time through the contract’s process.
Do not mark an item approved because someone opened an email, expressed a preference or asked for a sample. Use distinct states for information requested, decision received and any further approval still required.
Review only the decisions that are approaching or affecting the work. A short, focused discussion is easier to use than a long list of every choice the project might eventually need.
When circumstances change, update the deadline and explain why. Quietly moving a date makes it difficult to understand whether the programme is still achievable or whether a missed choice has already changed it.
The register should help the customer make informed decisions, not serve as a running list of blame. Clear options, realistic deadlines and a recorded outcome make it easier for the builder to plan and for the client to understand where their input matters most.