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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Agile Starfish Retrospective |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | When improvement options need to be sorted more finely than just start and stop, it brings observations into clear kinds of action. This makes visible what should be done more, less, newly, or continued. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 15-45 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1-3 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Starfish Board, Practice Changes, Experiments |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RetrospectiveImprovementExperimentsTeam |
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