System Integration Assumptions Log
This is a practical guide to building a assumptions log for a system integration project — a register of the assumptions the plan depends on, to be validated, adapted to the realities of integrating multiple systems into a coherent whole.
What a Assumptions Log is
A assumptions log is a register of the assumptions the plan depends on, to be validated. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Project Assumption. On a system integration project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.
Why it matters for a System Integration project
System Integration projects live or die on integrating multiple systems into a coherent whole. A well-built assumptions log gives the team a shared, explicit reference for exactly that — reducing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and making problems visible early enough to act. Skipping it, or doing it generically, is how system integration projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.
What to include
- Assumption
- Impact if wrong
- Owner
- Validation status
System Integration-specific considerations
Tailor the assumptions log to the risks that most often derail system integration projects:
- Interface and API complexity
- Data consistency
- Vendor coordination
Example
On a real system integration project, the assumptions log would be shaped by integrating multiple systems into a coherent whole. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — interface and API complexity, data consistency, vendor coordination — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.