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Selected:Views and BeyondSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Architecture Communication CanvasArchitecture Inception Canvas
| Criterion |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Architecture Architecture Communication Canvas |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 Tage | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 60-120 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | 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 | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions |
Tags1 shared | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ArchitectureCommunicationStakeholdersCanvas | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas |