View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
Selected:Architecture Decision RecordHypothesis-Driven TroubleshootingC4 ModelArchitecture Communication Canvas
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Engineering Hypothesis-Driven Troubleshooting | ![]() Architecture C4 Model | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 systems fail unexpectedly, spontaneous attempts often produce more noise than insight. Hypothesis-driven Troubleshooting translates symptoms into testable assumptions and makes troubleshooting learnable. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 30-240 min | 1-4 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 1-6 | 1-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Hypothesis Log, Test Plan, Evidence Notes, Diagnosis Summary | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | TroubleshootingProblem solvingDiagnosis | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |



