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| Criterion | ![]() Operations ALPEN Method | ![]() Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) | ![]() Architecture C4 Model | ![]() Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | 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. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 10-20 min daily | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1-4 h | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 1-5 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |



