View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture C4 Model |  Delivery RAID Log |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | 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. | Helps clarify scope, sequence, and delivery flow in concrete terms. It makes work, boundaries, and order steerable. The result is captured as a RAID Log and a source for status reporting. | 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 | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 1-4 h | 30 min Setup, dann laufend | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-5 | 1-3 maintaining, briefing for everyone | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | RAID Log, Status Report Source | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | RiskTrackingStakeholdersGovernance | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |