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| Criterion | ![]() Decision Making Argument Mapping | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Operations Barrier Analysis | ![]() Architecture Request for Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | 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. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 15-45 min | 2-4 h | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 1-3 | 2-6 | 3-20 Reviewer |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets |
Tagsno overlap | SensemakingDecisionRationale | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeSafetyIncident | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance |



