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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Facilitation Consensus Workshop |  Architecture Software Architecture 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. | 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. | When a group needs a solid decision without outvoting individual factions, a Consensus Workshop creates a negotiable common ground. It makes agreement, reservations, and open tensions discussable at the same time. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 60–90 min | 1-3 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 2-8 | 5-30 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Consensus Clusters, Theme Titles, Priority Areas | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | FacilitationConsensusWorkshopAlignment | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |