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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Agile Specification by Example |  Architecture arc42 |  Agile Acceptance Criteria Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 business rules need to become precise, it ties language, example, and test together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as an Example Table and Acceptance Tests. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | When a story needs clear checkpoints before implementation, it sharpens expectation and scope together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as Acceptance Criteria and a Story Update. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 60-90 min pro Feature | 1-2 Tage | 20-40 min pro Story |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 3-6 | 1-4 | 3-6 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Example Table, Acceptance Tests | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Acceptance Criteria, Story Update |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | AgileRequirementsExamplesBehavior-Driven Development | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | AgileRequirementsRefinementBehavior-Driven Development |