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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Architecture Request for Comments | ![]() Team Design Team Topologies Interaction Modes |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | When several teams collaborate repeatedly, it describes the right interaction mode for each interface between them. It clarifies responsibility, interaction, and load between teams. The result is captured as an interaction heat map and pairwise agreements. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | Half day |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 3-20 Reviewer | Team-Leads plus Architecture |
Formatdifferent | Async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Interaction Heat Map, Agreements per Pair |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | TeamAlignmentCollaborationOrganization |
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