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Criterion
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration of System Dynamics Simulation with its method-specific working model.
Systems Thinking
System Dynamics Simulation
Stock and Flow Diagram method illustration showing its working structure
Systems Thinking
Stock and Flow Diagram
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
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.System Dynamics Simulation makes assumptions about time, delay, and feedback testable through experiments. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a simulation model and scenario reports.A Stock and Flow Diagram shows how stocks, inflows, and outflows shape a system over time. It is especially suited when growth, delays, or capacity limits determine the dynamics.ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighHighMedium
Timedifferent
15-45 minMehrere Tage bis Wochen2-6 h2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional
Participantsdifferent
1-31-5 Modellierende, Stakeholder asynchron1-6Designers, developers as users, and facilitation
Formatdifferent
AsyncAsyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
ADR File, Decision Log, RationaleSimulation Model, Scenario ReportsStock and Flow Model, Dynamics Notes, Simulation HypothesesPrioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
Systems thinkingDynamicsSimulationAnalysis
DynamicsSimulationFeedbackSystems thinking
ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks
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