Review Mode (adr-scribe)
Use this mode to get a structured critique of an existing ADR. The agent checks it for completeness, balance, and adherence to the MADR standard.
When it activates
- You paste an existing ADR
- "Review this ADR", "Is this ADR complete?"
The checklist
| Check | Pass condition |
|---|---|
| Title | Clear, decision-oriented (not "Database Options") |
| Status | One of: Proposed, Accepted, Deprecated, Superseded |
| Context | Explains the forces at play, not just the solution |
| Options | At least 2 alternatives listed |
| Decision | Clear chosen option with rationale |
| Positive consequences | At least 1 listed |
| Negative consequences | At least 1 listed (mandatory — no free lunches) |
| Completeness | No TODO/placeholder sections |
Example
You:
Act as the adr-scribe. Please review this ADR:
# Use Microservices
* Status: Accepted
## Context
We want to scale our system.
## Decision Outcome
We will use microservices.
### Positive Consequences
* Better scalability.
Agent output:
## ADR Review
🔴 **Critical Issues**
1. **Missing: Considered Options** — An ADR without alternatives is not an ADR,
it's an announcement. What other approaches did you consider?
(Modular monolith, SOA, serverless?)
2. **Missing: Negative Consequences** — Microservices introduce significant
operational complexity (distributed tracing, network latency, service
discovery). This must be documented.
🟡 **Warnings**
3. **Context is too vague** — "We want to scale" doesn't capture the specific
forces. Which dimension? (User load? Team size? Deployment frequency?)
4. **Decision rationale is absent** — Why microservices over a modular monolith?
What specific scaling characteristic drove this choice?
🟢 **Good**
- Status is set correctly.
- Title is clear.
**Suggested next step:** Use Interview mode to rebuild this ADR properly.