Let's say you need to choose some technology for your project, or you already have problems with some technologies, so you want to replace them with others. If you do not maintain a decision log, you have a high risk of making bad decisions that are biased, based on authority, and take too long.
Sure, decision logs is just a step to fix a problems with decision making. Logs highlight a problems in decision making process and let you analyze a problems in your team. You still need an strong architect who may say “hey team, why your arguments so weak? it looks you are low skill engineers. make arguments more objective, or you will be fired” and then really fire weak engineers in team.
Yeah good point.
In that process-heavy project I joined, I could quickly see the problems; about 2 or 3 days. That meant when I was submitting code or reviewing the backlog I knew what kind of challenges I could make, and what would just be a waste of time. In others, it could take way longer - months! - to learn how the team actually deals with challenges and design.