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| Criterion |  Decision Making Option Framing |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Decision Framing Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In early decisions, alternatives are often still vague, incomplete, or blended together. Option Framing brings every possibility into a comparable form and makes visible which variant actually fits the question. | 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. | When a decision is poorly framed, even good answers deliver little value. A Decision Framing Workshop sharpens the problem, goal, and boundaries before the actual weighing begins. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 15-45 min | 1-4 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-3 | 1-5 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Decision Frame, Decision Question, Criteria List, Evidence Plan |
Tagsno overlap | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | Decision framingAlignmentCriteriaOptions |