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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordRiskiest Assumption TestATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Assumption Surfacing
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Product Discovery Riskiest Assumption Test |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an idea hinges on one critical unknown, it prioritizes testing that exact piece of uncertainty first. It separates problem, assumption, solution, and evidence. The result is captured as a prioritized list of assumptions, a test plan, and a result report. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-2 Wochen pro Iteration | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Prioritized Assumption List, Test Plan, Results Report | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ExperimentsValidationDiscoveryAssumptions | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery |