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Selected:Gemba WalkArchitecture Decision RecordARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)A3 Problem Solving
| Criterion |  Operations Gemba Walk |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | 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. | 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. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-120 min | 15-45 min | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 1-3 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis |
Tagsno overlap | LeanObservationProcessOperations | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations |