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| Criterion |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Innovation Design Sprint |  Architecture arc42 |  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 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 4-5 Tage | 1-2 Tage | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-20 Reviewer | 5-8 | 1-4 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Prototype, Test Findings, Decision Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | Design sprintPrototypeValidationInnovation | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |