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Criterion
Paper illustration for Dot Estimation.
Facilitation
Dot Estimation
Paper illustration for Affinity Estimation.
Agile
Affinity Estimation
A paper-based illustration representing arc42 with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
arc42
Purposedifferent
When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets.When many tasks need to be classified quickly, it sorts them by perceived effort and similarity. It reduces the effort of fine-grained estimation for large volumes.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
LowMediumLow
Timedifferent
5-20 min30-90 min1-2 Tage
Participantsdifferent
3-203-121-4
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion TargetsAffinity Size Map, Grouped Estimates, Unclear ItemsArchitecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View
Tagsno overlap
EstimationEffortRisk
EstimationBacklogRelative sizing
ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication
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Often compared together

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 two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)