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| Criterion |  Operations Accountability Ladder |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With defensive reactions to problems, the method shifts the view from justification to ownership. It makes visible which reaction stage a person or team is currently stuck on. | 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. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 15-45 min | 1-4 h | 90-180 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-8 | 1-3 | 1-5 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Ownership Reflection, Action Commitment, Coaching Notes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement |
Tagsno overlap | ResponsibilityLeadershipTeam | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility |