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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Delivery Communication Plan |  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. | 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. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | 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 | 1-3 Tage | 45-90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1-4 | 2-6 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |