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Selected:Architecture Decision RecordSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Fishbone DiagramFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects 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. | 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 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. | For a process, product, or service with noticeable failure risks, the method assesses possible failure modes in advance. It directs attention to combinations of occurrence, effect, and detectability. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 30-60 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, 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 | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | Root causeQualityOperations | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |