How RFC Documents Can Avoid Team Communication Traps: Practical Experience to Save Months of Development Time

This article reveals the common ‘illusion of shared understanding’ problem in software development teams—where team members mistakenly believe they have reached a consensus, but actually have different understandings of key issues. The author, as a technology leader in a tech company, shares how to effectively solve this problem through RFC (Request for Comments) documents. RFC requires detailed documentation of technical decisions, including problem statements, solutions, alternatives, trade-off considerations, and other elements, thereby ensuring the team truly reaches alignment. Practice has proven that this method not only avoids rework and delays but also improves decision quality, promotes knowledge sharing, and reduces meeting time. The article provides specific steps, applicable scenarios, and considerations for RFC implementation, serving as a practical guide for tech team managers.