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| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | The TOWS Matrix connects internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats into action-oriented strategies. It goes a step further than a pure stocktaking. | 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 |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 1-2 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 3-10 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | StrategyAnalysisOptions | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |
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