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Criterion
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
A paper-based illustration representing arc42 with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
arc42
Anonymous individual judgments pass through feedback loops to form a distribution.
Decision Making
Delphi Method
Paper illustration for Argument Mapping
Decision Making
Argument Mapping
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.arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes.When knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together.When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowHighMedium
Timedifferent
15-45 min1-2 Tage1-4 Wochen1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
1-31-46-30 Experten1-8
Formatdifferent
AsyncWorkshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
ADR File, Decision Log, RationaleArchitecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment ViewExpert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption NotesArgument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication
ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy
SensemakingDecisionRationale
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