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Selected:5 WhysSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Root Cause AnalysisLASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
| Criterion |  Operations 5 Whys |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Architecture LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | 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. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-4 h | 3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 | 1 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | 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 | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | Lean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checks |
Tagsno overlap | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean |