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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |  Innovation How Might We |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When an environment of users, systems, and constraints is hard to grasp, it puts the context compactly on the table. It creates a clear reading of influence, boundary, and dependency. | 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. | 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 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 | 30–45 min | 1-4 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 1-10 | 1-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |