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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|
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 project faces many possible disruptions, it quickly becomes unclear which risks deserve attention first. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Risk Matrix and a Top Risk List. | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 30-60 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs |
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