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| Criterion | ![]() Decision Making Assumption Surfacing | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture Software Architecture Canvas | ![]() Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-2 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-4 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |



