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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Stock and Flow Diagram |  Systems Thinking System Dynamics Simulation |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Stock and Flow Diagram shows how stocks, inflows, and outflows shape a system over time. It is especially suited when growth, delays, or capacity limits determine the dynamics. | System Dynamics Simulation makes assumptions about time, delay, and feedback testable through experiments. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a simulation model and scenario reports. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | Mehrere Tage bis Wochen | 1-2 Tage | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 1-5 Modellierende, Stakeholder asynchron | 1-4 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Stock and Flow Model, Dynamics Notes, Simulation Hypotheses | Simulation Model, Scenario Reports | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | DynamicsSimulationFeedbackSystems thinking | Systems thinkingDynamicsSimulationAnalysis | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |