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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 for Contradiction Analysis.
Innovation
Contradiction Analysis
Paper illustration for Argument Mapping
Decision Making
Argument Mapping
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 a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
15-45 min60-120 min1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
1-32-81-8
Formatdifferent
AsyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
ADR File, Decision Log, RationaleContradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept IdeasArgument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving
SensemakingDecisionRationale
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration for Cynefin Workshop.
Decision Making
Cynefin Workshop