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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Views and Beyond | ![]() Architecture arc42 | ![]() Facilitation Expectation Mapping | ![]() Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | When roles, interfaces, or projects fail because of differing expectations, Expectation Mapping surfaces these differences. It shows what each side takes for granted and where the pictures diverge. | 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 | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | 1-2 Tage | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1-4 | 3-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Expectation Map, Alignment Notes, Agreements | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | AlignmentStakeholdersTeam | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |



