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| Criterion |  Facilitation Dot Estimation |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When size or effort can only be estimated roughly, Dot Estimation condenses the group's experience into a quick range. It turns individual contributions into a visible selection. The result is captured as an Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, and Discussion Targets. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 5-20 min | 1-3 Tage | 1-4 h | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 | 1-4 | 1-5 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Effort Heatmap, Risk Signals, Discussion Targets | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | EstimationEffortRisk | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |