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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 20–45 min | 1-2 h | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | Small cross-functional group | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery |