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| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Decision Making Delphi Method |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together. | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 1-4 Wochen | 1-4 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 6-30 Experten | 1-5 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Expert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption Notes | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |