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| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Architecture arc42 |  Agile Ideal Days |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When effort needs to be thought of as real working time, it offers a simple common denominator for comparison. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as Ideal Day Estimates, Assumption Notes, and Capacity Caveats. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | 1-2 Tage | 15-60 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 1-4 | 2-9 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Ideal Day Estimates, Assumption Notes, Capacity Caveats | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | EstimationEffortAgile | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |