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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture Quality Attribute Workshop |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | A Quality Attribute Workshop translates quality requirements into concrete scenarios and architecture impulses. The method brings product, engineering, and operations to the same view of desired properties. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 45–90 min | 2-4 h | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 3-10 | 5-15 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Quality Scenarios, Priority List, Architecture Concerns | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | RequirementsArchitectureWorkshop | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |