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| Criterion |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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 decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | 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 | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-4 h | 30-90 min | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-5 | 1-6 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | DecisionTreeOptions | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |