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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |  Agile Specification by Example |  Agile Example Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When business rules need to become precise, it ties language, example, and test together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as an Example Table and Acceptance Tests. | When a story carries business rules and exceptions, it brings clarity before implementation. It makes examples, open questions, and boundaries visible enough that the logic becomes jointly sound. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 60-90 min pro Feature | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-6 | 3-7 |
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 | Example Table, Acceptance Tests | Example Map, Acceptance Criteria, Open Questions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AgileRequirementsExamplesBehavior-Driven Development | Behavior-Driven DevelopmentRequirementsExamplesRefinement |