View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Business Strategy 5-Minuten VC-Check |  Product Discovery Smoke Test |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | The 5-Minute VC Check clarifies opportunities and strategic options at the earliest idea stage. It compares problem quality, customer willingness to pay, alternatives, differentiation, and market potential, and captures the result as a VC-check note, go/sharpen/park decision, and risk list. | When demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 5-15 min | 1-5 Tage | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 1-5 | Nutzertraffic | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | VC-check note, Go/sharpen/park decision, Risk and assumption list, Next validation step | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | StartupValidationCompetition | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |