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| Criterion |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. | 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 | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |
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