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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Decision Making DACI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 90-180 min | 1-2 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 4-12 | 3-10 | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | DACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment |