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Criterion
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
Paper illustration for Communication Plan
Delivery
Communication Plan
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Purposedifferent
When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic.When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost.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
MediumLowLow
Timedifferent
45-90 min45-90 min15-45 min
Participantsdifferent
2-82-61-3
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionCommunication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message CadenceADR File, Decision Log, Rationale
Tagsno overlap
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration for Trade-off Analysis.
Decision Making
Trade-off Analysis