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| Criterion |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Domain Modeling Context Map |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Inception 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. | When several contexts need to talk to each other, it makes their relationships and dependencies legible. It helps sort integration pressure and responsibilities across system boundaries. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-3 h | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 | 2-8 | 3-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Context Map, Integration Patterns, Boundary Notes | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | Domain-Driven DesignBoundariesStrategy | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |