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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Systems Thinking Evaporating Cloud |  Architecture C4 Model |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Systems Mapping arranges elements, relationships, and boundaries so a complex field becomes legible at a glance. The overview stabilizes the overall picture before detail work or steering begins. | The method makes visible why two seemingly incompatible demands arise and which assumption must be tested to resolve the conflict. | 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. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 60-120 min | 1-4 h | 60-120 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-8 | 1-5 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Conflict Cloud, Assumption List, Breakthrough Ideas, Next Experiments | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Communication Canvas, Stakeholder Messages, Architecture Communication Plan |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | Theory of ConstraintsAssumptionsSystems thinking | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas |