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Selected:Stakeholder MappingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Communication CanvasAlignment Mapping
| Criterion |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | The Architecture Communication Canvas plans architecture communication so the right people receive the right message. The method turns technical complexity into deliberate communication design. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60–90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |