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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Delivery RAID Log |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 15-45 min | 30 min Setup, dann laufend |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-3 | 1-3 maintaining, briefing for everyone |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | RAID Log, Status Report Source |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RiskTrackingStakeholdersGovernance |