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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | 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. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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 | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 45-90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-20 Reviewer | 2-8 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |