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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Growth Hooked Model |  Growth North Star Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | The Hooked Model helps clarify engagement loops, user behavior, and experiments. It makes repeat behavior measurable and captures the result as a hooked loop, trigger map, and reward design. | When product teams track many metrics, the view of the actual customer outcome easily gets lost. A North Star Metric bundles growth, usage, and value contribution into one signal that makes the system's direction visible. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 15-45 min | Multiple workshops over several weeks | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1-3 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Hooked loop, Trigger map, Reward design, Ethics check | North Star metric, Input metric tree, Measurement cadence |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | GrowthBehaviorRetention | GrowthMetricsAlignmentRetention |