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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Architecture Request for Comments |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  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. | 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. | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. | 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 | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-3 Wochen vom Draft bis zur Entscheidung | 0.5-3 Tage | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | 3-20 Reviewer | 5-15 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | RFC document, Reviewer comments, Decision rationale, Follow-up ADR or tickets | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | ArchitectureDecisionAsyncGovernance | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization |