View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
Selected:arc42ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Current Reality TreeFailure Mode and Effects Analysis
| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations Failure Mode and Effects Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes. | 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. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | 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 | High | High |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 2-6 h | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | FMEA Table, Risk Priority, Mitigation Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | RiskQualityOperationsRoot cause |