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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 45–90 min | 1-3 Tage | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 3-10 | 1-4 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |