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| Criterion | ![]() Decision Making Constraint Analysis | ![]() Delivery Communication Plan | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 2-6 | 1-4 | 1-5 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |



