View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  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. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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 | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-8 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |