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| Criterion |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail. | When a project faces many possible disruptions, it quickly becomes unclear which risks deserve attention first. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Risk Matrix and a Top Risk List. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 1-2 Tage | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 1-4 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people | 3-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Lean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checks | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List |
Tagsno overlap | SensemakingDecisionRationale | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment |