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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Operations ALPEN Method |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Delivery Communication Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | 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. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 10-20 min daily | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning |