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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Architecture Request for Comments |  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. | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | 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 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1-6 | 3-20 Reviewer | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | DecisionTreeOptions | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions |