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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordRiskiest Assumption TestATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Fake Door Test
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Product Discovery Riskiest Assumption Test |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Product Discovery Fake Door Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When demand is still unclear, it measures interest in a feature before it is built. It separates real behavior from polite agreement and deliberately keeps build effort small. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-2 Wochen pro Iteration | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-5 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-6 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | Nutzertraffic |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | 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 | Click Data, Interest Signal, Learning Decision |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ExperimentsValidationDiscoveryAssumptions | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ValidationExperimentsDemandDiscovery |