View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Facilitation Consensus Workshop |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a group needs a solid decision without outvoting individual factions, a Consensus Workshop creates a negotiable common ground. It makes agreement, reservations, and open tensions discussable at the same time. | 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. | 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 1-2 Tage | 15-45 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 5-30 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Consensus Clusters, Theme Titles, Priority Areas | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | FacilitationConsensusWorkshopAlignment | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |