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Criterion
Value Stream Mapping workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Delivery
Value Stream Mapping
Decision Tree method illustration showing its working structure
Decision Making
Decision Tree
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Purposedifferent
When delivery work dissolves into wait times, handoffs, and hidden effort, Value Stream Mapping makes the actual flow visible. The method exposes bottlenecks, idle time, and feedback loops so lead time and improvement levers become tangible.For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch.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
MediumMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-3 h30-90 min15-45 min
Participantsdifferent
4-101-61-3
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Current-state map, Future-state map, Bottleneck listDecision Tree, Option Map, Assumption ListADR File, Decision Log, Rationale
Tagsno overlap
LeanFlowWasteDelivery
DecisionTreeOptions
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
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Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration of Request for Comments (RFC) with its method-specific working model.
Architecture
Request for Comments
Paper illustration for Argument Mapping
Decision Making
Argument Mapping
Paper illustration for Constraint Analysis.
Decision Making
Constraint Analysis