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 Decision Rights Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | 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. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 90-180 min | 15-45 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 4-12 | 1-3 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |