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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Innovation TRIZ |  Innovation Morphological Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For technical contradictions or trade-offs, the method looks for solutions that resolve opposing requirements at the same time. It translates limits into an explicit picture of conflict that becomes workable. This produces not just compromises but more elegant principles. | For a search for solutions with many degrees of freedom, a grid emerges for systematic combinations. The method separates features, variants, and exclusion criteria, so the space gets explored deliberately. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 15-45 min | 1-4 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1-3 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Contradiction Statement, Inventive Principles, Solution Concepts | Morphological Box, Concept Combinations, Idea Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | InnovationProblem solvingContradictionsCreativity | IdeationInnovationCreativity |