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| Criterion |  Architecture arc42 |  Architecture Views and Beyond |  Business Strategy Strategy Execution Loop |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Views and Beyond organizes architecture into several views so no single diagram has to do everything at once. This makes it possible to choose the representation that fits the stakeholder's question. | The Strategy Execution Loop helps avoid treating strategy as a one-off document. It makes visible how strategic decisions are turned into objectives, initiatives, operational work, measurement, and learning. | 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 | High | High |
Timedifferent | 1-2 Tage | 1-3 Tage | Initial 3-6 h, then monthly or quarterly reviews | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | 1-4 | 1-4 | 5-12 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Architecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment View | Architecture Views, Cross-view Notes, Rationale | Execution Loop, Review Cadence, Strategic Learning Log | 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 | ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication | DocumentationStakeholdersArchitecture | ExecutionCadenceLearningGovernance | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |