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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Decision Making DACI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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 an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | In cross-functional decisions, responsibilities quickly blur between approval, influence, and execution. DACI arranges these roles so decision pressure, contribution, and information stay cleanly separated. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-2 h | 30-90 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 2-8 | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | DACI Matrix, Decision Owner, Decision Log |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | DecisionRolesGovernanceAlignment |