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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Rich Picture | ![]() Operations ALPEN Method | ![]() Delivery Communication Plan | ![]() Architecture C4 Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early. | With an overloaded day full of too many tasks, a realistic picture of the day emerges. The method connects estimating, deciding, and buffer thinking so planning fits available energy and time. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 10-20 min daily | 45-90 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | 1 | 2-6 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Daily Plan, Time Estimates, Review Notes | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | PlanningTime managementProductivityOperations | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |



