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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordContext CanvasDecision Rights MappingSoftware Architecture Canvas
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  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. | When an environment of users, systems, and constraints is hard to grasp, it puts the context compactly on the table. It creates a clear reading of influence, boundary, and dependency. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | 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 | 45-90 min | 90-180 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 3-10 | 4-12 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |