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Selected:Alignment MappingArchitecture Inception CanvasNorth Star MetricArchitecture Communication Canvas
| Criterion |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Growth North Star Metric |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | When product teams track many metrics, the view of the actual customer outcome easily gets lost. A North Star Metric bundles growth, usage, and value contribution into one signal that makes the system's direction visible. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-2 h | 1-2 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 | 3-8 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | North Star metric, Input metric tree, Measurement cadence | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | GrowthMetricsAlignmentRetention | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |