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Selected:Architecture Decision Record5 WhysLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)Root Cause Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations 5 Whys |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 15-30 min | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-6 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Lean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checks | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |