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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Quality Attribute Workshop |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  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. | A Quality Attribute Workshop translates quality requirements into concrete scenarios and architecture impulses. The method brings product, engineering, and operations to the same view of desired properties. | 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. | 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 | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 2-4 h | 45–90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 5-15 | 3-10 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Quality Scenarios, Priority List, Architecture Concerns | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | RequirementsArchitectureWorkshop | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |