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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1-2 h | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 3-10 | 4-12 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |