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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Agile Specification by Example |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an environment of users, systems, and constraints is hard to grasp, it puts the context compactly on the table. It creates a clear reading of influence, boundary, and dependency. | 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 business rules need to become precise, it ties language, example, and test together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as an Example Table and Acceptance Tests. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 15-45 min | 60-90 min pro Feature | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-3 | 3-6 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Example Table, Acceptance Tests | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | AgileRequirementsExamplesBehavior-Driven Development | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |