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| Criterion |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making DACI |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1-4 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 1-5 | 2-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | DACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment |
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