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Selected:Decision Rights MappingArchitecture Inception CanvasSoftware Architecture CanvasArchitecture Decision Record
| Criterion |  Decision Making Decision Rights Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | In organizations with many stakeholders, it often blurs who actually decides and who is merely consulted. It separates options, evaluation criteria, and open risks. The result is captured as a Decision Rights matrix and an agreement. | 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. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 90-180 min | 1-2 h | 1-2 h | 15-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-12 | 3-8 | 3-10 | 1-3 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Async |
Outputdifferent | Decision Rights Matrix, Agreement | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale |
Tagsno overlap | DecisionGovernanceAlignmentResponsibility | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance |