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| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Systems Thinking Behavior Over Time Graph |  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. | A Behavior Over Time Graph shows how a metric or observation develops over time. The method makes trends, breaks, and recurring patterns visible that get lost in snapshots. | 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 | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 20-45 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 1-10 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Behavior Over Time Graph, Trend Hypotheses, Key Events | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | Systems thinkingPatternsDynamics | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |
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