---
name: Session Log Template
description: Template for session logs inside the deployed instance. Written at the end of any session that changed governance state, made non-trivial code changes, or made decisions that need preservation. Per BOOTSTRAP-BRIEF Section IX.
type: template
populated_from: per-session; not a layer artifact
---

# Session Log Template

Copy this file to `sessions/YYYY-MM-DD-{short-purpose}.md` at the end of any session that:

- Changed governance state (added or modified a policy, ADR, dossier, or kit component)
- Made non-trivial code or prompt changes
- Made a decision that needs preservation (even if not ADR-worthy yet)
- Drained an inbox or processed an escalation
- Surfaced a finding that the next operator needs to know

Trivial sessions (a typo fix, a one-line README correction) do not need session logs. When in doubt, write one; the cost of writing is low and the cost of losing context is high.

---

# Session Log - YYYY-MM-DD - {short purpose}

- **Last reviewed:** YYYY-MM-DD
- **Review cadence:** ad-hoc (session logs are point-in-time records; not refreshed)
- **Status:** complete

## What this session was

{One paragraph: what the session set out to do; what triggered it; who was involved.}

## What was produced

| Artifact | Path | Status |
|----------|------|--------|
| {artifact name} | {path inside the instance} | new / modified / superseded / deleted |

If nothing was produced (the session was investigation only), this section reads: "No artifacts produced. Session was {investigation / drain / pairing / debugging}."

## Decisions made

For each decision:

- **Decision:** {one-sentence}
- **ADR-worthy:** yes / no
- **If yes, ADR path:** decisions/ADR-NNNN-...
- **If no, location of record:** {commit message; comment in artifact; this session log}

A decision that is ADR-worthy but does not yet have an ADR is a finding for the next session.

## Findings

Anything observed that needs follow-up but was not in scope for this session. Each finding has:

- **Finding:** {what was observed}
- **Why it matters:** {consequence if ignored}
- **Next move:** {who, what, when}
- **Recorded where:** {BACKLOG.md entry; inbox entry; ADR scaffold}

## State changes

What changed in the instance's state, beyond the artifacts:

- **Layer maturity changes:** {layer X moved from Y to Z because ...}
- **Relationship status changes:** {relationship X moved from declared-but-inactive to live because ...}
- **Pinned-version changes:** {model / prompt / tools / data version was bumped from X to Y; eval re-run results: ...}

## Concurrent-actor notes

If multiple operators or sessions touched the instance during the session window:

- **Other actors observed:** {names or roles}
- **Conflicts encountered:** {what required coordination}
- **Lock-on-write events:** {when this session paused for another, or vice versa}
- **Inbox entries to other pods:** {what was sent}

If single-actor session, this section reads: "Single actor; no concurrency events."

## Handoff posture

What the next session needs to know to pick up cleanly:

- **Where things stand:** {two sentences}
- **Where to start:** {first action}
- **Pending blockers:** {what is waiting for an outside answer}

If the kickoff doc at instance root needs updating to reflect this session's outcomes, note that explicitly: "Kickoff updated" or "Kickoff update needed: {what to change}."

## Failure modes encountered

If any of the BOOTSTRAP-BRIEF Section XI failure modes surfaced during this session and were caught:

- **Failure mode:** {name from Section XI}
- **How it surfaced:** {one sentence}
- **How it was caught:** {one sentence}
- **Standard reinforced:** {what trigger from Section V applied}

This section is for caught-and-corrected events; not for self-flagellation. The point is to record the encoding of the standard against real pressure.

## Session metadata

- **Effort:** ~{minutes}
- **Format:** {single-pass / iterative / pair-with-X / ops-incident}
- **Operators:** {who participated}
- **Tools used:** {Read, Write, Edit, Bash, custom}

## Cross-references

- ADRs written or modified: decisions/ADR-...
- BACKLOG entries created: BACKLOG.md > ...
- Inbox entries created: inbox/{path}
- Artifacts modified: {path}
- Prior session this builds on: sessions/YYYY-MM-DD-{...}
