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Selected:C4 ModelLean StartupARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)Architecture Communication Canvas
| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Innovation Lean Startup |  Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) |  Architecture Architecture Communication 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. | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 2-8 | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | LeanStartupValidationMVP | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |