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| Criterion | ![]() UX Research Empathy Mapping | ![]() Facilitation Decision Jam | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a lot is assumed about a target group but little is seen jointly, empathy mapping makes knowledge and gaps directly comparable. The picture also shows which assumptions hold up and where evidence is missing. | When a decision is stuck, Decision Jam loosens the knot through structured separation of problem, idea, and selection. The format creates movement without jumping prematurely at the first seemingly elegant answer. | 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 | 30–60 min | 60-90 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-8 | 4-10 | 1-4 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Empathy Map, Assumptions List, Research Gaps | Problem Cluster, Prioritized Challenge, Experiment | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeWorkshop | FacilitationDecisionProblem solvingWorkshop | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |



