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Selected:Context Canvasarc42ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Architecture Decision Record
| Criterion |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | 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 | Low | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-2 Tage | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-4 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |