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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Views and Beyond | ![]() Operations Change Analysis | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | For a deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 45-120 min | 1-2 Tage | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 2-6 | 1-4 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |



