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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Decision Making Option Framing |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  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. | In early decisions, alternatives are often still vague, incomplete, or blended together. Option Framing brings every possibility into a comparable form and makes visible which variant actually fits the question. | 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. | 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 | 45-120 min | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-8 | 3-10 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Option Frames, Assumption Notes, Comparable Shortlist, Decision Inputs | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | OptionsDecision framingStrategyComparison | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |