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| Criterion | ![]() Business Strategy Ansoff Matrix | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture C4 Model | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Ansoff Matrix organizes growth options by market and product relation. It helps weigh expansion, diversification, and adaptation cleanly against each other. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-4 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-4 | 1-5 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Ansoff Matrix, Growth Options, Risk Notes | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | GrowthStrategyMarketPortfolio | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |



