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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | 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. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | 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 | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 15-45 min | 1-3 Tage | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 1-3 | 1-4 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionTreeOptions | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |