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| Criterion |  Engineering Golden Path |  Innovation Design Sprint |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture arc42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When teams need a reliable default path for frequent use, sprawl quickly emerges without any guiding logic. Golden Path bundles the preferred path so good practice becomes easy and deviation becomes deliberate. | When the product question is unclear and time pressure is high, the method takes a team from an open idea to a testable solution. It connects problem understanding, decision, and learning in one compact format, lowering the risk of spending a lot of energy on a mere guess. | 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 | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage Setup, laufend | 4-5 Tage | 1-4 h | 1-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 5-8 | 1-5 | 1-4 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Golden Path Guide, Templates, Quality Checks | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View |
Tagsno overlap | EngineeringProductivityGovernance | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication |