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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordBarrier AnalysisSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Root Cause Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 2-4 h | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-6 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | 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 |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | Root causeSafetyIncident | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident |