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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Product Discovery Context Canvas | ![]() Architecture Views and Beyond | ![]() Architecture Architecture Inception 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. | 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 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 Tage | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 3-10 | 1-4 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |



