Engineering Decision Record(EDR)
Definition
A formal document that captures the technical basis for a significant engineering decision, including the problem statement, the options evaluated, the analysis performed, the selection criteria, the chosen option, and any residual risks or monitoring requirements. EDRs provide a defensible record demonstrating that engineering decisions were made systematically and with due diligence.
Context
Engineering decision records are required for decisions that affect the design basis, material selection, operating limits, or maintenance strategy of safety-critical or high-consequence equipment. They support regulatory compliance by demonstrating that engineering judgment is applied systematically rather than ad hoc.
Examples
- An EDR for extending a vessel's inspection interval beyond the code-recommended maximum documents: the FFS assessment results, the enhanced monitoring plan, the risk assessment, and the approval by a competent engineer.
- An EDR for accepting a deviation from the original design code documents: the technical analysis demonstrating equivalence, the risk assessment, and the approval chain.
Applicable Standards
- ISO 55001:2014
- API 580
Related Terms
A structured log of significant engineering and management decisions made during the lifecycle of asset integrity programs. Each entry records the decision, the decision-maker, the date, the context and constraints at the time, the alternatives considered, the rationale for the chosen option, and the expected outcomes. Decision journals create organizational memory that survives personnel turnover.
Governance EventA discrete, auditable event in the lifecycle of a governed artifact (asset, risk, MOC, inspection) that records a decision, approval, status change, or significant action. Governance events capture who did what, when, why, and with what authorization. They form the backbone of the audit trail and provide the evidence chain for regulatory compliance.
Fitness-for-Service(FFS)An engineering assessment methodology used to determine whether equipment with identified flaws, damage, or degradation can continue to operate safely and reliably for a defined future period. FFS evaluations quantify the remaining structural capacity of degraded equipment using the procedures in API 579-1/ASME FFS-1, considering the specific type and extent of damage relative to the design margins.
Audit TrailA chronological record of system activities, decisions, and data changes that provides documentary evidence of the sequence of events that have affected a specific operation, procedure, or artifact. In asset integrity management, the audit trail records who made what change, when, why, and with what authorization, creating an unbroken chain of evidence for regulatory compliance and forensic investigation.
Where this appears in Reliatic
This concept is used in the Governance module.