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Selected:RAPIDArchitecture Decision RecordSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Request for Comments
| Criterion |  Decision Making RAPID |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Request for Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In complex management decisions, clarity is often missing about who recommends, who agrees, and who makes the decision. RAPID creates this assignment and stabilizes decisions across several levels. | 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. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 15-45 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 1-3 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-20 Reviewer |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | RAPID Role Map, Recommendation, Decision Log | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionRolesGovernance | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance |