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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Business Strategy McKinsey 7S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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 h | 1-2 h | 60–90 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 4-12 | 2-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | 7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions |
Tags1 shared | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange |