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| Criterion |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Delivery Communication Plan |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 many people need to be informed in parallel and messages would otherwise arrive unevenly or too late, a Communication Plan orders communication reliably. Channels, audiences, and cadences interlock so important information doesn't get lost. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-4 h | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-5 | 3-10 | 2-6 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Communication Plan, Channel Matrix, Message Cadence | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | CommunicationStakeholdersDeliveryPlanning | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |