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| Criterion |  Knowledge Modeling IBIS |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | IBIS structures thinking about complex questions as a sequence of issues, ideas, and arguments. The method keeps discussions open without forcing them into premature consensus. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 90-180 min | 1-3 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 4-12 | 1-8 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Issue Map, Positions, Argument Notes | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | RationaleKnowledgeDecision | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | SensemakingDecisionRationale | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |