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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
A paper-based illustration representing Brainstorming with its core stages and visible working result.
Innovation
Brainstorming
Paper illustration of the Lotus Blossom working structure.
Innovation
Lotus Blossom
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 a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development.When a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLowLow
Timedifferent
15-45 min60-120 min30-60 min45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
1-32-84-123-10
Formatdifferent
AsyncWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
ADR File, Decision Log, RationaleContradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept IdeasIdea pool, Theme clusters, ShortlistLotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving
BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence
BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop
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