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| Criterion |  Knowledge Modeling Competency Questions |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Delivery Communication Plan |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Competency Questions translate a domain model into concrete questions that it must be able to answer. The method keeps the model's scope clean and prevents pretty but useless structures. | 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. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 2-6 | 1-5 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Competency Question Set, Required Concepts, Test Queries, Coverage Matrix | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | OntologyKnowledge graphScopeRequirementsSemantic | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |