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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 15-45 min | 1-3 Tage | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 1-3 | 1-4 | 1-8 |
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 | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionTreeOptions | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | SensemakingDecisionRationale |