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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 60–90 min | 15-45 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 2-8 | 1-3 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |