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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Architecture arc42 |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | 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 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 | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-8 | 1-4 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |