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| Criterion |  Decision Making Trade-off Analysis |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With limited resources, quality, speed, cost, and risk almost always compete with each other. Trade-off Analysis makes these tensions explicit and prevents decisions from producing hidden side effects. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-120 min | 1-4 h | 60-120 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-5 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Trade-off Matrix, Criteria List, Decision Rationale, Accepted Downsides | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option |
Tagsno overlap | TradeoffsDecisionCriteriaOptions | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs |