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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  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. | A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 30-90 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 2-10 | 3-8 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |