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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Request for Comments | ![]() Decision Making Wideband Delphi | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Decision Making Delphi Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | A single opinion rarely holds up for planning when the future is genuinely uncertain. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as an Estimate Range, Assumption Log, and Expert Consensus Notes. | 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 knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 1-4 h or multiple rounds | 15-45 min | 1-4 Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 4-12 Experten | 1-3 | 6-30 Experten |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Async | Async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Estimate Range, Assumption Log, Expert Consensus Notes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | EstimationExpertsForecasting | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy |



