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| Criterion |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | 1-3 Tage | 1-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 4-10 | 1-4 | 1-5 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | InnovationPrototypeResearch | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |