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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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 | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 2-8 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |
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