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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Facilitation Dot Voting |  Facilitation Consensus Workshop |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a workshop has produced too many options and the group needs to condense quickly, dot voting makes preferences visible in a short time. It bundles individual votes into a solid signal for the next selection. | When a group needs a solid decision without outvoting individual factions, a Consensus Workshop creates a negotiable common ground. It makes agreement, reservations, and open tensions discussable at the same time. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 5-15 min | 1-3 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 3-20 | 5-30 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Ranked list, Consensus signal, Shortlist | Consensus Clusters, Theme Titles, Priority Areas | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | FacilitationVotingConsensusPrioritization | FacilitationConsensusWorkshopAlignment | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |