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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
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Red Teaming method illustration showing its working structure
Decision Making
Red Teaming
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
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.ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation.For strategic decisions with high reach, agreement and gut feeling are often not enough. Red teaming brings deliberate opposition into the situation and tests where a plan breaks under real counterarguments.An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighHighMedium
Timedifferent
15-45 minSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope1-4 h1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung
Participantsdifferent
1-3Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-83-20 Reviewer
Formatdifferent
AsyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshopAsync
Outputdifferent
ADR File, Decision Log, RationalePrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsChallenge Findings, Risk Register, Mitigation PlanRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RiskDecisionSensemaking
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
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