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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Innovation Brainstorming |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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 a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 h | 30-60 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 3-10 | 4-12 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |