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Selected:Affinity DiagrammingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Change AnalysisFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Operations Change Analysis |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | 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. | 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. | 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 | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 45–90 min | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 45-120 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | 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 | Change Matrix, Cause Hypotheses, Validation Questions, Action List | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | ChangeRoot causeTroubleshootingComparison | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |