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| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 h | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-8 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |