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Criterion
Paper illustration for Golden Circle
Growth
Golden Circle
A paper-based illustration representing arc42 with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
arc42
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration for DACI
Decision Making
DACI
Purposedifferent
In positioning and communication, what an offering actually stands for often becomes blurred. The Golden Circle sharpens a product's inner rationale and connects purpose, approach, and offering into a clear statement.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.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.In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
30-60 min1-2 Tage1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
1-81-43-20 Reviewer2-10
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Why Statement, Messaging Notes, Positioning DraftArchitecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment ViewRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or ticketsDACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log
Tagsno overlap
MarketingPositioningCommunication
ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment
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