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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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 | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 60-120 min | 1-4 h | 30-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-5 | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |