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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Innovation How Might We | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Architecture Views and Beyond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction. | 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. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 30–45 min | 1-2 Tage | 1-3 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-10 | 1-4 | 1-4 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture |



