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| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Decision Making Argument Mapping |  Delivery Communication Plan |  Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An RFC clarifies architecture context, options, and consequences. It structures technical context, alternatives, tradeoffs, open questions, and review feedback, and captures the result as an RFC document, reviewer comments, and a decision rationale. | When statements, evidence, and counterarguments get mixed up, a debate quickly loses its structure. Argument Mapping breaks a thesis down into its reasoning and makes visible what it really rests on. | When many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 1-3 h | 45-90 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 1-8 | 2-6 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Argument Map, Evidence Gaps, Decision Rationale | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | SensemakingDecisionRationale | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |