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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |  Decision Making Constraint 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. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 30-90 min | 1-3 h | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1-6 | 1-8 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | DecisionTreeOptions | SensemakingDecisionRationale | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions |