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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Innovation Brainstorming |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 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 a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 1-2 h | 30-60 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-10 | 4-12 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Idea pool, Theme clusters, Shortlist | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityWorkshopDivergence | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |