View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures. | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. | 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 | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 20–45 min | 45-90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Small cross-functional group | 2-8 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |
Often compared together
Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.
