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Selected:Assumption SurfacingSoftware Architecture CanvasArchitecture Decision RecordArchitecture Inception Canvas
| Criterion |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture Architecture Inception 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 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 1-2 h | 15-45 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 1-3 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |