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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Product Discovery Outcome-Driven Innovation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | 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. | Outcome-Driven Innovation clarifies customer problems, solution opportunities, and evidence. It separates jobs, desired outcomes, importance, satisfaction, and opportunity, and captures results as desired outcome statements, an opportunity landscape, and segments by underserved needs. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 15-45 min | Mehrere Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 4-10 | 1-3 | 2-6 researchers plus sample |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Desired outcome statements, Opportunity landscape, Segmentation by underserved needs, Innovation hypotheses |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | InnovationPrototypeResearch | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | OutcomesInnovationResearchQuantitative |