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| Criterion |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Inception 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. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. | 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 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 | 1-4 h | 1-2 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 1-5 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |