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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordChange AnalysisViews and BeyondSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Operations Change Analysis |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 deviation after a change, the method isolates the influence of the altered condition. It narrows down which differences are relevant and which are just accompanying noise. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 45-120 min | 1-3 Tage | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-6 | 1-4 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | 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 |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality |