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| Criterion | ![]() Product Strategy Impact Mapping | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Business Strategy SWOT Analysis | ![]() Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a goal needs to be connected to several possible paths, it shows chains of impact instead of feature lists. It connects business goal, behavior change, and measures. | 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. | SWOT Analysis arranges strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats into a compact picture of the situation. It keeps internal capabilities and external influences separate before strategic options emerge from them. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 15-45 min | 30-60 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-3 | 3-12 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Impact Map, Outcome Hypotheses, Delivery Options | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | SWOT matrix, Strategic options, Action list | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | OutcomesStrategyBehaviorPlanning | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | StrategyAnalysisMarketPositioning | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |



