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| Criterion |  Decision Making Delphi Method |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together. | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | 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 | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 Wochen | 1-2 Tage | 15-45 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 6-30 Experten | 1-4 | 1-3 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |