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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordCausal Loop DiagramARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-3 h | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-8 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks |
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