PWPM Wiki

Warehouse Construction Decision Log

This is a practical guide to building a decision log for a warehouse construction project — a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why, adapted to the realities of building a warehouse or distribution centre.

What a Decision Log is

A decision log is a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Decision Log. On a warehouse construction project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.

Why it matters for a Warehouse Construction project

Warehouse Construction projects live or die on building a warehouse or distribution centre. A well-built decision 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 warehouse construction projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.

What to include

  • Decision
  • Date and owner
  • Rationale
  • Alternatives considered
  • Impact

Warehouse Construction-specific considerations

Tailor the decision log to the risks that most often derail warehouse construction projects:

  • Site groundworks
  • Racking and MHE fit-out
  • Access and logistics

Example

On a real warehouse construction project, the decision log would be shaped by building a warehouse or distribution centre. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — site groundworks, racking and MHE fit-out, access and logistics — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.