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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordArchitecture Inception CanvasViews and BeyondSoftware Architecture Canvas
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | 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. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-2 h | 1-3 Tage | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 3-8 | 1-4 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tags1 shared | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |