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Selected:PARA MethodGolden PathATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Architecture Decision Record
| Criterion |  Knowledge Modeling PARA Method |  Engineering Golden Path |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The PARA Method organizes knowledge into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. It creates order when digital notes, files, and tasks no longer cleanly fit current work. | 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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | 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 | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h Setup, laufend | 1-3 Tage Setup, laufend | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1 | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | PARA Structure, Project Notes, Knowledge Archive | Golden Path Guide, Templates, Quality Checks | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | KnowledgeProductivityOrganization | EngineeringProductivityGovernance | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |