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| Criterion |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Business Strategy McKinsey 7S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 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. | 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. | McKinsey 7S checks whether Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff fit together. Organizational misalignments become visible across multiple levers as a result. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-2 h | 60–90 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 4-12 | 2-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | 7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions |
Tags1 shared | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange |