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Selected:C4 ModelResponsibility PokerATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Accountability Ladder
| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Facilitation Responsibility Poker |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Operations Accountability Ladder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 it stays unclear who carries responsibility and who only contributes, Responsibility Poker makes the distribution of responsibility explicit. It sharpens the boundaries between weighing in, deciding, and bearing consequences. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | With defensive reactions to problems, the method shifts the view from justification to ownership. It makes visible which reaction stage a person or team is currently stuck on. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 45-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 3-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 1-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Responsibility Map, Role Agreements, Open Questions | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Ownership Reflection, Action Commitment, Coaching Notes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | RolesResponsibilityTeamFacilitation | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | ResponsibilityLeadershipTeam |