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| Criterion |  Operations PDCA Cycle |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For an improvement that still has to prove itself in everyday work, the method runs it through small learning loops. It connects planning, checking, and standardization into a repeatable learning mode. | 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. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | 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 | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1 h bis mehrere Wochen | 1-2 Tage | 1-3 Tage | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 1-4 | 1-4 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | PDCA Log, Experiment Plan, Learning Outcome, Standard Change | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Continuous improvementLeanExperiments | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |