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Criterion
How Might We
Innovation
How Might We
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration for CATWOE Analysis.
Systems Thinking
CATWOE Analysis
Purposedifferent
With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction.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.CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
30–45 min1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
1-103-20 Reviewer3-8
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea PromptsRFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or ticketsCATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints
Tagsno overlap
FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)