An RFC, or request for comments, is a written proposal circulated to a defined audience for structured feedback before a decision is made. The author lays out the problem, the proposed solution, alternatives considered, and tradeoffs. Reviewers comment in writing, and the author either revises or proceeds.
RFCs are distinct from design docs in intent: a design doc explains a chosen approach, while an RFC asks whether the approach should be chosen. They are distinct from decision logs in time: the RFC is the deliberation, the decision log is the outcome.
RFCs work especially well for distributed teams because the entire decision process happens in writing. There is no privileged information from a meeting that didn't get recorded.
Why RFC (request for comments) Matters for Distributed Teams
RFCs prevent the most common distributed-team failure: a decision made in a meeting that half the team wasn't in. When the decision lives in an RFC, anyone in any timezone can read the reasoning and contribute before it closes.
RFCs also create durable artifacts. A year later, a new engineer can read the RFC and understand why the architecture looks the way it does.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an RFC in engineering?
An RFC, or request for comments, is a written proposal circulated for feedback before a decision is made. It captures the problem, proposed solution, alternatives, and tradeoffs. Reviewers comment in writing rather than in meetings.
Related Terms
Decision log
A decision log is a chronological record of decisions made by a team. Each entry captures the question that was decided,...
Read definitionDecision documentation
Decision documentation is the written record of decisions made by a team, including the question, the options considered...
Read definitionAsynchronous decision making
Asynchronous decision making is the practice of reaching decisions without requiring all participants to be online at th...
Read definitionGet the vocabulary that makes distributed teams work
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See rfc (request for comments) in action.
StandIn is built around these concepts. Engineers publish declared state before going offline. The next shift starts with full context.