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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Innovation TRIZ |  Architecture C4 Model |  Innovation Contradiction Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. | 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. | When a system should improve while another measure suffers as a result, the method makes the underlying conflict precisely formulable. It separates the desired effect from its side effect. This makes solutions possible that address the contradiction deliberately instead of half-heartedly. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-4 h | 1-4 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-8 | 1-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Contradiction Statement, Abstraction Notes, Solution Principles, Concept Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ContradictionsInnovationProblem solving |