This standard ensures decision-making authority sits with the people closest to the work, not just those highest in the hierarchy. It reduces handoffs, speeds up delivery, and increases team ownership and morale.
Aligned to our "Decentralised Decision-Making" and "Developer Experience Matters" policies, this standard empowers teams to act with autonomy and clarity. Without it, decisions are delayed, accountability is blurred, and innovation is stifled.
Level 1 – Initial: Decision-making is centralised or unclear. Authority defaults to hierarchy, resulting in delays, misalignment, and disengaged teams.
Level 2 – Managed: Some decisions are made by teams, but authority is inconsistently granted and often challenged. Escalation is common even for local matters.
Level 3 – Defined: Teams are explicitly trusted to make decisions relevant to their work. Decision rights are documented and understood across the organisation.
Level 4 – Quantitatively Managed: Decision-making patterns are tracked to identify bottlenecks, duplication, or friction. Teams actively reflect on the effectiveness of local authority.
Level 5 – Optimising: Decision authority is continuously calibrated to follow the flow of work. Organisational structures evolve to reduce dependency on hierarchy and maximise autonomy, speed, and clarity.