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Criterion
A paper-based illustration representing C4 Model with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
C4 Model
Anonymous individual judgments pass through feedback loops to form a distribution.
Decision Making
Delphi Method
Paper illustration of Decision Rights Mapping with its method-specific working model.
Decision Making
Decision Rights Mapping
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
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.When knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together.In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement.When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighMediumMedium
Timedifferent
1-4 h1-4 Wochen90-180 min1-2 h
Participantsdifferent
1-56-30 Experten4-124-12
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncAsyncWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component DiagramExpert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption NotesDecision Rights Matrix, AgreementAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions
Tagsno overlap
ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization
ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy
DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
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