View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Decision Making Argument Mapping | ![]() Product Discovery Smoke Test |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-3 h | 1-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 1-8 | Nutzertraffic |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | SensemakingDecisionRationale | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth |
Often compared together
Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.






