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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordHypothesis-Driven TroubleshootingRoot Cause Tree AnalysisRoot Cause Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Engineering Hypothesis-Driven Troubleshooting |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  Operations Root Cause 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 systems fail unexpectedly, spontaneous attempts often produce more noise than insight. Hypothesis-driven Troubleshooting translates symptoms into testable assumptions and makes troubleshooting learnable. | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 30-240 min | 1-3 h | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 1-6 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Hypothesis Log, Test Plan, Evidence Notes, Diagnosis Summary | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | TroubleshootingProblem solvingDiagnosis | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |