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Criterion
Architecture Inception Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Inception Canvas
Design sheets and interface cards connect to jointly written pseudocode with highlighted unresolved questions.
Architecture
ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
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.ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-2 h2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional15-45 min
Participantsdifferent
3-8Designers, developers as users, and facilitation1-3
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncAsync
Outputdifferent
Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open QuestionsPrioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisionsADR File, Decision Log, Rationale
Tags1 shared
AlignmentArchitectureCanvas
ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
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Software Architecture Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Software Architecture Canvas
Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas