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Selected:C4 ModelATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Risk StormingARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Architecture Risk Storming |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Helps clarify architecture context, options, and consequences in concrete terms. It organizes technical context, alternatives, and consequences. The result is captured as an Annotated Diagram, a Prioritized Risk List, and an Action Backlog. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-90 min | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 4-12 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + 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 | Annotated Diagram, Prioritized Risk List, Action Backlog | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions |
Tags1 shared | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | RiskArchitectureWorkshopValidation | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks |