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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas | ![]() Delivery Cost of Delay | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Helps clarify scope, order, and delivery flow in concrete terms. It makes work, constraints, and sequence manageable. The result is captured as a Cost of Delay table and prioritization sequence. | 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. | 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 | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 90-180 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-8 | 1-4 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | CoD Table, Prioritization Sequence | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | PrioritizationDeliveryEconomicsDecision | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |



