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| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | 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 Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 1-4 h | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1-5 | 3-10 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |