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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Business Strategy McKinsey 7S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | 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 an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | McKinsey 7S checks whether Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff fit together. Organizational misalignments become visible across multiple levers as a result. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 h | 60–90 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 4-12 | 2-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | 7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange |