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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations ABC Analysis |  Decision Making Pareto Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | With many similar objects of differing economic significance, the method prioritizes effort by effect. It separates what needs regular steering from what rarely needs attention. | In many problem situations, effect is distributed unequally across many causes. A Pareto Analysis separates the few drivers with high leverage from the long remainder and focuses attention on what measurably moves the needle. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 30-60 min | 30-60 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-8 | 1-5 | 1-6 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | ABC Classification, Focus Rules, Control List | Pareto Chart, Top Causes, Focus List |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeQualityOperations | PrioritizationOperationsPortfolio | PrioritizationQualityFocusRoot cause |