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Criterion
Paper illustration for Golden Path
Engineering
Golden Path
Gap Analysis method illustration showing its working structure
Business Strategy
GAP Analysis
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
Purposedifferent
When teams need a reliable default path for frequent use, sprawl quickly emerges without any guiding logic. Golden Path bundles the preferred path so good practice becomes easy and deviation becomes deliberate.GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing.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.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 Tage Setup, laufend1-3 h15-45 min2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional
Participantsdifferent
2-82-81-3Designers, developers as users, and facilitation
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Golden Path Guide, Templates, Quality ChecksGap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk NotesADR File, Decision Log, RationalePrioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions
Tagsno overlap
EngineeringProductivityGovernance
StrategyAnalysisPlanning
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks
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