View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Decision Making Cynefin Workshop |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 60-180 min | 15-45 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 4-20 | 1-3 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ComplexitySensemakingDecision | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |