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Criterion
Software Architecture Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Software Architecture Canvas
Paper illustration of a decision table with criteria rows, weighted ratings, and a narrowly leading alternative.
Decision Making
Decision Matrix
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Architecture Communication Canvas method illustration showing its working structure
Architecture
Architecture Communication Canvas
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 options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumMediumMedium
Timedifferent
1-2 h45-90 min1-2 h60-120 min
Participantsdifferent
3-102-84-122-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality AttributesDecision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected OptionAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision QuestionsCommunication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan
Tagsno overlap
CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop
DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas
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