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Selected:After-Action ReviewStrategic, Tactical and Operational PlanningC4 ModelArchitecture Decision Record
| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Business Strategy Strategic, Tactical and Operational Planning |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | It places decisions and artifacts at the right level. Strategic planning clarifies direction, tactical planning translates it into programs, and operational planning steers concrete processes. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 90-180 min | 1-4 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 4-12 | 1-5 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Planning Levels Map, Cadence Model, Planning Artifact Inventory | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | CadenceGovernanceExecution | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |