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| Criterion |  Facilitation Mind Mapping |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | 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 | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 1-2 h | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 4-12 | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |