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| Criterion | ![]() Decision Making Force Field Analysis | ![]() Architecture Request for Comments | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Decision Making Argument Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In change initiatives, supporting and restraining forces sit at the table at the same time. Force Field Analysis makes these tensions explicit and shows where change can be pushed forward by strengthening or relieving. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | 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. | 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 | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 15-45 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-20 Reviewer | 1-3 | 1-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Force Field Map, Change Levers, Risk Notes | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ChangeDecisionStrategy | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | SensemakingDecisionRationale |



