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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Engineering Golden Path |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Product Strategy Impact 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 teams need a reliable default path for frequent use, sprawl quickly emerges without any guiding logic. Golden Path bundles the preferred path so good practice becomes easy and deviation becomes deliberate. | GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing. | When a goal needs to be connected to several possible paths, it shows chains of impact instead of feature lists. It connects business goal, behavior change, and measures. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-3 Tage Setup, laufend | 1-3 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-8 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Golden Path Guide, Templates, Quality Checks | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Impact Map, Outcome Hypotheses, Delivery Options |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | EngineeringProductivityGovernance | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | OutcomesStrategyBehaviorPlanning |