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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Decision Making Risk Matrix |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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 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. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 15-45 min | 30-60 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-3 | 3-10 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Risk Matrix, Top Risk List | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RiskDecisionPrioritizationAssessment | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |