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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Architecture C4 Model |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions 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 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. | When an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 1-2 h | 1-4 h | 60–90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | 4-12 | 1-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange |