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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Knowledge Modeling IBIS |  Product Discovery MVP Test Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | IBIS structures thinking about complex questions as a sequence of issues, ideas, and arguments. The method keeps discussions open without forcing them into premature consensus. | When several minimal variants compete to answer the same question, it makes comparing and choosing between them cleaner. It separates problem, assumption, solution, and evidence. The result is captured as a Test Matrix and a Test Plan. |
Complexitysame | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1-3 h | 45-75 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | Test Matrix, Test Plan |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionTreeOptions | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | ExperimentsValidationDiscoveryOptions |