Do we need Backstage to make this work?

No. Backstage helps with visibility and docs, but the core is ADRs + templates + policies + org-level CI. You can start with a simple repo list and a spreadsheet, then graduate to Backstage as you scale.

Won’t policies slow teams down?

Bad ones do. Start with high-signal checks tied to ADRs (base image, TLS, RPC choice, secret scanning). Keep failures actionable with messages and links to the template or doc. We typically see PR lead time decrease once ambiguity drops.

How do we handle teams that truly need exceptions?

Add an exception process: a short `EXEMPTIONS.md` with owner and expiry, or policy annotations like `adr/exception: ADR-0012 until 2025-03-01`. Make exceptions visible, time-bound, and expensive to keep.

We’re polyglot. Will this explode our maintenance?

Only if you over-customize. Keep paved-road patterns per runtime (Node, Java, Go) but share the same CI, policy engine, and GitOps model. Provide codemods/playbooks per language; centralize policy and deployment.

What’s the first week look like?

Pick one ADR with clear payoff (e.g., base image + distroless). Ship an org-level policy, update templates, and run a Renovate sweep. Celebrate one measurable win before boiling the ocean.

Platform-productivity · Nov 8, 2025 · 10 minute read

ADRs That Change Code: Paved Roads Over PowerPoints

Make architecture decisions enforceable in CI, back them with golden paths, and refactor without breaking the company.

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ADRs That Change Code: Paved Roads Over PowerPoints

Key takeaways

Implementation checklist