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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordCompetency QuestionsFishbone DiagramATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Knowledge Modeling Competency Questions |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff 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. | Competency Questions translate a domain model into concrete questions that it must be able to answer. The method keeps the model's scope clean and prevents pretty but useless structures. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 2-4 h | 30-60 min | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 2-8 | 2-8 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Competency Question Set, Required Concepts, Test Queries, Coverage Matrix | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | OntologyKnowledge graphScopeRequirementsSemantic | Root causeQualityOperations | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |