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Criterion
Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Incident Command workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
DevOps
Incident Command
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration for Argument Mapping
Decision Making
Argument Mapping
Purposedifferent
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.During an acute incident with several people involved, the method creates a clear leadership and communication structure. It reduces chaos when fast coordination and clean situational awareness are both needed at once.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.When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on.
Complexitydifferent
MediumMediumLowMedium
Timedifferent
1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur EntscheidungAs needed15-45 min1-3 h
Participantsdifferent
3-20 Reviewer4-151-31-8
Formatdifferent
AsyncWorkshop + asyncAsyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or ticketsIncident Log, Action Tracker, Stakeholder UpdatesADR File, Decision Log, RationaleArgument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance
IncidentOperationsReliability
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
SensemakingDecisionRationale
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