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RFC Process

Pattern

Use Drafts for structured brainstorming before committing to decisions.

What is an RFC?

RFC (Request for Comments) is a process where an engineer proposes an architectural change and solicits feedback before implementation.

Traditional RFCs live in Google Docs or Confluence pages. They work, but they have problems:

  • Feedback is scattered across comments
  • No clear structure for options/alternatives
  • Hard to track what was decided and why
  • Disconnected from related decisions

Arbtr's Draft status provides a better foundation for RFCs.

The Pattern

1

Create a Draft via Magic Paste

Start by using Magic Paste to create a Draft decision. Write up your RFC thinking in any format, then paste it to extract structure.

To create a draft:

  1. Click + New Decision → From Text (Magic Paste)
  2. Paste your RFC content
  3. Review the extracted structure
  4. Choose "Save as Draft" instead of creating immediately
DraftVisible only in import modal, editable, not yet published
2

Structure the RFC as Positions

Instead of free-form prose, structure your RFC as positions (options):

Position 1: Use Redis for caching

Fast, well-understood, but adds infrastructure

Position 2: Use CDN edge caching

No new infrastructure, but less control over invalidation

Position 3: No caching (optimize queries)

Simplest, but may not solve the performance problem

3

Collect Feedback as Arguments

Team members add arguments for or against positions. This structures the discussion:

+

Redis gives us sub-millisecond reads

@sarah, supporting Position 1

−

Redis is another thing to operate

@mike, against Position 1

+

CDN caching worked well for the marketing site

@lisa, supporting Position 2

4

Add Relationships Early

Even in Draft, link to related decisions. This surfaces context:

  • depends_on "Use AWS as cloud provider"
  • conflicts_with "Minimize infrastructure complexity"
  • derived_from "Improve API response times"
5

Publish the Decision

When the RFC is ready for broader review, open the import modal and publish the Draft. It becomes visible in the graph as an Active decision.

To publish a draft:

  1. Click + New Decision → From Text (Magic Paste)
  2. Find your draft in the drafts list
  3. Click "Publish" to create the decision
Draft→ActiveNow visible in graph
6

Conclude the RFC

When the decision is made, conclude it. Select the winning position and document the rationale.

Active→ApprovedDecision made, rationale recorded

Benefits Over Traditional RFCs

Structured feedback

Arguments are attached to specific positions, not scattered throughout a document.

Clear outcome

The conclusion states which position won and why. No ambiguity about what was decided.

Connected context

Relationships link to dependencies and conflicts. The RFC lives in the decision graph, not isolation.

Audit trail

Full history of when arguments were added, who voted, when it was concluded. Built-in governance.

Example: Caching Strategy RFC

Day 1: Create Draft

Draft

Sarah uses Magic Paste to create "Caching Strategy for Product API" with 3 positions. Saves as Draft in the import modal.

Day 2-4: Refine the Draft

Draft

Sarah shares the draft link with key stakeholders for early feedback. She refines positions based on input before publishing.

Day 5: Publish Decision

Active

RFC is ready for broader review. Published from import modal, appears in graph. Team adds arguments for and against positions.

Day 7: Architecture Review

Under Discussion

Decision reviewed in architecture meeting. Team votes. Redis wins with 5-2, CDN gets 2 votes.

Day 8: Conclude

Approved

Sarah concludes the decision. Redis selected. Rationale documents why operational complexity was accepted.

Tips for Effective RFCs

tip

Include a 'Do Nothing' position

Always include an option to not make the change. It forces you to justify the effort and sometimes it's the right choice.
tip

Set a deadline

Open-ended RFCs drag on forever. Set a review deadline and stick to it. "Arguments due by Friday, decision on Monday."
tip

Magic Paste your initial RFC

Have a rough doc or Slack thread with your thinking? Use Magic Paste to extract it into a structured Draft.
i

Voting is optional

Not every RFC needs a vote. Sometimes the arguments make the right choice obvious. The owner can conclude without polling.

Next

Arbtr Architecture →
    RFC Process Pattern | Arbtr Docs