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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Growth Golden Circle | ![]() Architecture Views and Beyond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | In positioning and communication, what an offering actually stands for often becomes blurred. The Golden Circle sharpens a product's inner rationale and connects purpose, approach, and offering into a clear statement. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-2 Tage | 30-60 min | 1-3 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 1-4 | 1-8 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Why Statement, Messaging Notes, Positioning Draft | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | MarketingPositioningCommunication | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture |



