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Criterion
Software Architecture Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Software Architecture Canvas
Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
Paper illustration with architecture components and concrete change tasks for comparison.
Architecture
SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
Stakeholder Mapping
Facilitation
Stakeholder Mapping
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.The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design.SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning.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
LowMediumHighLow
Timedifferent
1-2 h60-120 minPreparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope60–90 min
Participantsdifferent
3-102-8Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting2-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality AttributesCommunication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication PlanDomain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternativesStakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes
Tagsno overlap
CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop
ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas
ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality
StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange
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